Panel slaps fine of ₹20,000 on official for delaying information

CHANDIGARH : Haryana information commission slapped a fine of ₹20,000 on an accountant-cumassistant state public information officer (ASPIO) of food and supplies department, Karnal, on Friday, for providing delayed information, despite seven reminders. As per information, the ASPIO delayed the information by around three months.

The case pertained to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, by a Karnal resident, Brijpal, to the state public information officer (Spio)-cum-district food and supplies controller, Karnal, on October 4, 2017, seeking details pertaining to allotment of paddy to two rice mills of Karnal.

After being denied initially, the applicant was provided the information after a delay of 92 days, after which, he moved the state information commission for an action in the context.

Deciding the case, the information commissioner, Hemant Atri, observed that though the RTI application was received by the SPIO on September 6, 2017 and the same was transferred to the Aspio-cum-accountant, Parvesh Kapoor, on the same day. However, the SPIO further said that he sent seven reminders but Kapoor furnished information running into almost 50 pages on January 8, 2018, after a delay of 92 days.

Taking serious note, Atri imposed the fine on Kapoor to be deposited within 30 days with the commission’s head, failing which, it may be deducted from his salary in four equal instalments, Atri said.