A man approached the Kerala Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) with an RTI, asking for an answer to the bizarre question of why his neighbour’s dog howled, Mathrubhumi reported.

Ashok, a native of Pandalam in Pathanamthitta, was asked by the Commissioner Vincent M Paul not to misuse the RTI Act.

According to Kerala Kaumudi, Ashok had been told twice that his question did not come under the purview of the RTI Act.

In 2014, Ashok had approached the animal welfare board with the RTI, to which the body had replied saying it did not have an answer, Mathrubhumi said.

The Kerala CIC took cognisance of Ashok’s RTI during a video conference in the Pathanamthitta Collectorate during which veterinary surgeon Dr Biju Mathew and livestock inspector BS Bindu of the animal husbandry department were also present, according to the report.

The commissioner admonished Ashok, saying the RTI had been filed with no knowledge of the Act and was wasting the time of officials.

Ashok explained he had filed the RTI because he had the right to know.

The commissioner, however, replied that the response to an RTI could only be given on the basis of the records and register of public authority.