The HPPSC had conducted preliminary examinations in June 2007 and September 2007 for Himachal Pradesh Judicial Services and Tehsil Welfare Officer, respectively.

A candidate, Roshan Lal, filed an application under RTI with the HPPSC on January 28, 2008, and sought the answer key and his own answer sheet of both exams. Interestingly, both the Public Information Officer and the Appellate Authority failed to respond within a month and 45 days, respectively.

Later, when he approached the CIC, he was first supplied the wrong answer key, which was handwritten and not certified by the service commission. To get the correct one, he once again had to apply to the CIC. Despite this, the CIC did not impose a penalty on the HPPSC for supplying wrong information.

Later, when the candidate again applied to the CIC to get the answer sheet, first the HPPSC replied on November 3 (a copy of which is with The Indian Express), “The matter is under active consideration and decision of the commission is pending”.

Surprisingly, later on February 25, 2009, it said, “Certified copy of answer sheets of both the exams cannot be supplied as the records pertaining to this period have since been weeded out in view of the retention order framed by the Commission”.

Chief Information Commissioner P.S. Rana, when contacted, said, “When the RTI application was pending, the records should not have been destroyed. Roshan Lal should raise the matter before us and we would call for a report from the service commission.”

He added that if it is not proven that the intention is malafide, the imposition of penalty is not necessary.