Business Standard: New Delhi: Thursday, May 02, 2013.
The Delhi
High Court today sought the Centre's reply on a PIL alleging that the public
information officers (PIO) and the appellate authorities under the RTI Act are
"resorting various tactics to avoid providing information" to
information seekers.
A division
bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Jayant Nath issued notices to
the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Delhi government,
Central Information Commission, MCD and others and sought their responses by
July 31 on a PIL seeking effective enforcement of the RTI Act.
Petitioner
Anil Dutt Sharma, claimed in his plea that he had filed several RTI
applications before various authorities seeking information but he had received
"fake, baseless and bogus" replies of PIOs.
"Petitioner
had filed various RTI applications for seeking information under the RTI Act
but he received fake, baseless and bogus replies of PIO, non-speaking orders of
appellate authorities and CIC orders which are not in consonance with the
provisions of RTI Act, in a mechanical manner which are nothing but avoiding
information to the information seekers, concealment of true information and
cover-up of reality," the PIL said.
The plea
alleged there are serious "lapses" on the part of the CIC for non-implementation
of section 4 of The RTI Act by replying that information is not maintained and
even the first appellate Authority of CIC is giving "vague" replies.
"The PIO
of CIC and public authorities are misinterpreting in reply section 11 (third
party information) of the Act. The CIC Commissioners are reluctant to invoke
penalty or disciplinary action as per section 20 of the RTI Act," the plea
said.
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