Don’t make public info on mediation proceedings: CIC

NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has ruled that information related to mediation proceedings in domestic disputes should not be made public. Observing that the mediation process cannot be used by parties as pre-litigation step to collect material, the commission said that such information can be used by a “cantankerous spouse’’ to harass the other.
The decision was taken on an appeal filed by Shahdara resident J D Singh who sought information related to reconciliation procedures from the Delhi Disputes Resolution Society. “If RTI is allowed to be exercised in securing information about mediation, a cantankerous spouse will exploit mediation as a source to get information with which they can harass the other and use it in courts of law also,’’ information commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu said.
“Thus the public interest in disclosure of the information, if any, is not higher than that in protection of mediation proceedings as per Section 8(2). Comparatively there is a higher public interest in protecting the confidentiality and privacy of the proceedings of mediation and there is no public interest in disclosure,’’ Acharyulu added.