Shri Brijesh Kumar Shukla filed an RTI application dt.29.8.08 with the PIO, DoP, Sasaram requesting for the attested photocopy of the letter No.BB-40 dt.8.7.96 sent to Regional Office, Ranchi. On not receiving any reply, the Applicant filed an appeal dt.19.2.09 with the Appellate Authority reiterating his request for the information. Being aggrieved at still not receiving any reply, he filed a complaint dt.24.4.09 before CIC reiterating his request for the information. The CIC vide its order dt.29.9.09 directed the PIO to provide information to the Complainant by 30.10.09 and to respond to the show cause notice issued to him by the Commission for the delay in furnishing the information, by 5.11.09.
The Bench of Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, Information Commissioner, scheduled the hearing for November 13, 2009.Both the Complainant and the Respondent were not present during the hearing.
Decision
Based on submissions on record, the Commission directs the PIO to provide all the information by 13.12.09. Since the Respondent has not provided any explanation for not having responded to the RTI application, the Commission decided to impose a penalty on the PIO. Accordingly, a penalty of Rs.25000/ is imposed on the official who was officiating as the PIO at the time of filing the RTI application, and the same will be paid by him in 5 equal monthly installments. The amounts may be recovered from the salary payable to the official by way of Demand Draft drawn in favour of ‘PAO CAT’ . The first installment should reach the Commission by 10th January 2010 and the last by 10th May 2010. The Demand Draft should be addressed to Shri G.Subramanian, Under Secretary & Asst. Registrar, Central Information Commission, Club Building, Old JNU Campus, New Delhi 110 067.The complaint is disposed off with above directions.
CIC Decision No CIC/AD/C/2009/000647 dated 13.11.2009
