New Indian Express: Ankur Sharma: New Delhi: Monday September 25 2017
Delhi government officials are turning Right to Information (RTI) into a joke. RTIs filed by The Sunday Standard seeking details of compensation awarded to the kin of police personnel who died in the line of duty came back blank from a Sub-divisional Magistrate’s (SDM) office.A reply to an RTI query filed.
The section ‘Reason for not giving further information is…’ was left blank, as were all other reply columns. This apathy is despite Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal proclaiming strict action against officials who don’t handle RTIs seriously.
Similarly, another reply to an RTI query filed by this paper didn’t even use an envelope. The reply was not clearly visible due to multiple stamps and bad handling.
The Delhi government’s handling of RTI applications has been a subject of ridicule these days. “E-mails are being received at official e-mail IDs of Hon’ble Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Administrative Reforms with complaints that departments are not responding to online RTI applications filed by citizens,” says an official communication sent to all officers, accessed by The Sunday Standard.
“Any delay in responding/handling of RTI applications can make concerned PIOs liable for penalty and disciplinary action as mandated under Section 20 of the RTI Act. 2005,” the communication states. “It may also be noted clearly that departmental action/disciplinary proceedings can also be initiated against the nodal officers under normal service rules in case of inappropriate handling of online applications,” it adds.
Officials say there has been a 40 percent hike in RTI applications in the last six months. An IAS officer working with the Delhi government said they are unable to prepare proper replies due to a staff crunch. Officials have been told to brief the staff dealing with RTI properly, he added.
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