Service book of Government Employee can be disclosed under RTI

 The Service book of Government employee can be disclosed under Right to Information Act 2005

With the recent decision of Central Information Commission Service book of Government Employee can be disclosed under Right to Information Act 2005. This means a third party can have access to most of the information about the employee career including disciplinary action, his leave, place of posting etc.

A Service book of Government Employee  is maintained for every employee from the date of his first appointment. Every step in official life is recorded in it. All the pensionary benefits are sanctioned mainly on the basis of entries in the Service Book. Hence, it plays a prominent role in timely settlement of pension cases and proper maintenance of Service Book eliminate delay in sanctioning and payment of pensionary benefits.

The Service book of Government Employee consists of 2 volumes.
VOLUME-I: Volume I of the Service Book is meant for recording the bio-data of the employees and various events of his service.
VOLUME-II: The purpose of Volume-II of the Service Book is to place different types of nominees, declarations, pay fixation memos etc.

The Service book of Government Employee contains following information of an employee

·         Appointment and joining.

·         Grant of increment or withholding of increment.

·         Grant of Selection Grade.

·         Crossing of efficiency bar.

·         Fixation of pay.

·         Grant of leave.

·         Deputation/ transfer

·         Suspension or interruption in service along with details of the period thereof.

·         Reinstatement.

·         Resignation

·         Termination of service along with its reasons.

·         Promotion.

·         Compulsory / Premature/ Voluntary Retirement.

·         Removal or dismissal from service.

·         Reversion.

·         Reduction in rank or pay along with the precise reasons thereof viz. Whether reduction is on account of inefficiency or reduction in establishment or abolition of the post held by the employee.

·         Retirement on superannuation.

The Central Information Commission has decided an appeal  on Service book of Government Employee with following directions:

“The Commission however, holds that the Public Authority is obligated under section 4(1)(b) the RTI Act to disclose information related to the service of its employees and is not convinced by Shri D’Costa’s argument that such disclosure will endanger his physical safety as all this information is anyway expected to be placed in the public domain.
The Commission accordingly directs the PIO to supply a copy of the service record of Shri Allan D’Costa to the Appellant after invoking Sec.10(1) of the RTI Act to sever all those portions that are exempt from disclosure u/s 8(1)(j) of the Act as personal information. The information should reach the Appellant within four weeks of receipt of this order.“