6 Severability under certain circumstances. Right to Information Act, No. 12 of 2016 6. Where a request for information is refused on any of the grounds referred to in section 5, access shall nevertheless be given to that part of any record or document which contains any information that is not exempted from being disclosed under that section, and which can reasonably be severed from any part that contains information exempted from being disclosed. PART III DUTIES OF MINISTERS AND PUBLIC AUTHORITIES Public authorities to maintain and preserve its records. 7. (1) It shall be the duty of every public authority to maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in such form as is consistent with its operational requirements which would facilitate the right of access to information as provided for in this Act. (2) In discharging its obligations under subsection (1), every public authority shall comply with any direction given by the Commission under section 14(h). (3) All records being maintained by every public authority, shall be preserved– (a) in the case of those records already in existence on the date of coming into operation of this Act, for a period of not less than ten years from the date of coming into operation of this Act; and (b) in the case of new records which are created after the date of coming into operation of this Act, for a period of not less than twelve years from the date on which such record is created. (4) No record or information which is the subject matter of a request made under this Act, shall be destroyed during the pendency of such request or any appeal or judicial proceeding relating to such request.