SIC summons LU vice-chancellor

TNN, Nov 1, 2010,

LUCKNOW: The UP State Information Commission (UPSIC) has taken a stern view of the RTI anomalies in Lucknow University (LU). The commission has directed LU vice-chancellor (V-C) to appear before it in connection with at least three RTI cases and explain why the cases were not disposed of. The V-C is also the first appeals authority in these cases.

The three cases pertain to the complaints made by three RTI applicants where either they were not provided the information or the first appeals was not disposed of. The complaints were heard by information commissioner Gyanendra Sharma.

In connection with one of the first appeals, filed by applicant Mohan Krishna, the commissioner has issued a show cause notice to the V-C on why the appeal was not disposed of as per the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The commission is yet to get V-C's reply.

The commission said it was shocking to learn that despite notices being sent by the SIC, the university did not take the matter seriously. "The commission takes it very seriously and orders the V-C to be present in the commission in the next hearing and explain about the action taken on the applicant's first appeal," said the commissioner.

Similarly, in connection with the complaint filed by another applicant Vikas Kumar, though the first appeals authority of the university (V-C in this case) heard the appeal, he did not mention the date when the appeal was heard in his order. The commission has also ordered the university to pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 to two applicants.

This isn't the first time when the UPSIC has taken note of the lapses on the part of the state universities as far as implementing the RTI Act is concerned. In April, the commission had issued show cause notices to the V-Cs of at least three universities in the state asking them to explain the failure on their part on the above count.

The universities in question were Uttar Pradesh Technical University (UPTU), Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut and Lucknow University. The commission was getting lot of complaints from students regarding delayed or no response from the universities on their queries about marksheets and certificates.

The SIC took a stern view of it and sent show cause notices to the V-Cs of the universities asking them to explain why the students were not being provided information under RTI.