The Times of India: New Delhi: Saturday, April 14, 2012.
In a first of its kind, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has fined itself asking the public information officer (PIO) to give compensation amounting to Rs 3,000 to an applicant for delay in providing information. It has also issued a notice to the former PIO asking for an explanation on the delay.
Information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said, ``Harassment of a common man by public authorities is socially abhorring and legally impermissible. It may harm him personally but the injury to society is far more grievous.''
Allahabad resident M Haroon Siddiqui had sought information regarding three ``conflicting orders'' on IFFCO. Siddiqui had also sought IFFCO's responses on the orders that the PIO refused to give citing exemption under Section 11 of the RTI Act.
Dismissing the argument, Gandhi allowed the appeal reasoning that Section 11 did not give a third party an ``unrestrained veto'' to refuse disclosing information. ``In this case the PIO has not even sought the views of the third party within 5 days of receipt of the RTI and has wrongly claimed exemption,'' he said.
Gandhi has recommended the CIC secretary consider recovering the amount from the salary of the person responsible for the delay in providing the information.
Information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said, ``Harassment of a common man by public authorities is socially abhorring and legally impermissible. It may harm him personally but the injury to society is far more grievous.''
Allahabad resident M Haroon Siddiqui had sought information regarding three ``conflicting orders'' on IFFCO. Siddiqui had also sought IFFCO's responses on the orders that the PIO refused to give citing exemption under Section 11 of the RTI Act.
Dismissing the argument, Gandhi allowed the appeal reasoning that Section 11 did not give a third party an ``unrestrained veto'' to refuse disclosing information. ``In this case the PIO has not even sought the views of the third party within 5 days of receipt of the RTI and has wrongly claimed exemption,'' he said.
Gandhi has recommended the CIC secretary consider recovering the amount from the salary of the person responsible for the delay in providing the information.
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