Para 54 — CSMOP
Original Rule Text
# 54. Requisitioning of records –
(a) No recorded file shall be sent from the Sections, Departmental Record Room or Archival records except under a requisition in form prescribed under Public Records Act, 1993.
(b) Requisitions of files belonging to other Departments and are in the custody of the NAI, will have to be endorsed by that Department concerned, before they are sent by the Archives. Records, bearing security classification, are not transferred to the Archives, as per section 10 of the Public Records Act, 1993.
- CHAPTER X
- SECURITY OF OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS
What This Means
Para 54 controls access to recorded files — files that have been closed and transferred to the Section's record area, the Departmental Record Room, or the National Archives. The key rule is that no recorded file can leave these custodial locations without a formal requisition in the prescribed form under the Public Records Act, 1993. You cannot simply call the Record Room and say 'send that file over' — there must be a formal written requisition.
For files that belong to another Department but are in NAI's custody, an additional step is required: the requisition must be endorsed (i.e., formally approved) by the department that owns the file before NAI releases it. Departments cannot access each other's archived files without the owning department's permission.
Classified records — files bearing security classifications like Secret or Top Secret — are not transferred to the National Archives at all. Under Section 10 of the Public Records Act, 1993, such files remain with the originating Department or are handled through the Ministry of Home Affairs' security framework. This prevents classified material from reaching the Archives, where access protocols may be less stringent.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Key Points
- 1No recorded file may be sent from its custodial location without a formal requisition in the prescribed form under the Public Records Act, 1993.
- 2For files in NAI custody belonging to another Department, the owning Department must endorse the requisition before NAI releases them.
- 3Classified records (Secret, Top Secret) are NOT transferred to NAI — they stay with the Department.
- 4Section 10 of the Public Records Act, 1993 is the legal basis for keeping classified records out of Archives.
- 5Informal verbal requests for files from the Record Room or Archives are not acceptable.
- 6Section Officers must ensure that requisitions are properly processed rather than bypassed for convenience.
Practical Example
A Section in the Ministry of Defence needs to consult a file from 1998 dealing with an old procurement policy that is now in NAI custody. The Section Officer fills in the requisition form prescribed under the Public Records Act, 1993, and submits it. However, the file belonged to the then-Ministry of Supply (now merged into Defence). The SO must also obtain an endorsement from the relevant successor division in MoD confirming they authorise access to this file. NAI will not release the file until both the requisition form and the endorsement are in order. Had the file been classified 'Secret', it would never have been in NAI's custody — the Section would instead need to trace it through the Department's own classified records system.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.