Now, match-maker RTI

The days of parents of eligible girls visiting a prospective groom’s office to find out about his salary and job profile are over. ‘Informed’ parents have now befriended the Right to Information Act to seek such details.

The days of parents of eligible girls visiting a prospective groom’s office to find out about his salary and job profile are over. ‘Informed’ parents have now befriended the Right to Information Act to seek such details.

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The RTI cell of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) recently received some queries seeking details about the job profiles and salaries of its bachelor employees’ for matrimonial purposes.

Another RTI application received by the DMRC a few days ago sought information about the salary of the employee that is reflected in the pay slip, his security deposit, provident fund details, job profile, service record, etc.

“Some applicants also ask whether the employee has shown himself as married or single,” said a DMRC official adding that such queries are apparently for matrimonial purposes.

DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said, “We provide personal details such as an employee’s salary but with the consent of the employee concerned.”

Delhi Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi, however, said that pay details of a government employee cannot be treated as personal information and should be made available in the public domain.

A few months ago Shivkumari Kashyap, a Chhattisgarh resident, had sought pay particulars of her husband Baldev Singh, an employee of South East Central (SEC) Railway, who got married for the second time.

She suspected that Singh had entered the name of his second wife in his service book and used the RTI route to gather details.

“Salary details should ideally be put on the official website. Still the PIO should provide pay details of an employee to the appellants, if sought, even if these are for matrimonial purposes,” added Gandhi.