Deccan Herald: Bangalore:
Friday, March 21, 2014.
Taking the
Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) casually proved costly for the principal
of Basaveshwara Engineering College, Bagalkot, who has been ordered to pay a
penalty of Rs 15,000 for denying information to an RTI applicant.
As the
college receives government aid, it has to abide by the rules followed by any
government college and also have a similar fee structure.
Two years
ago, Umapathi, a resident of Bangalore, had filed an RTI application seeking
some information from the college management, but it was not provided to him.
The management did not entertain the application saying the institution did not
come under ambit of the RTI Act.
Later,
Umapathi approached the KIC. While hearing the case, Information Commissioner M
R Pujar ruled that the college be brought under the RTI Act, as it enjoyed
government aid and other benefits.
In his next
order passed on December 2, 2013, Pujar directed the college principal Dr R N
Herakal to provide information if there was no High Court stay on its show-cause
notice dated December 14, 2012. But the principal did not comply with the
order.
Orders
overlooked:
On March 11,
when the matter was heard again, the commissioner found that the principal had
overlooked his orders.
Pujar ruled,
“The respondent had not filed his written application for the show-cause notice
issued against him on December 14, 2012, though three opportunities were given
to him. Hence, it is treated that he (principal) has no explanation to offer
for the show-cause notice and the commission has come to the conclusion that it
is a fit case to impose penalty.”
The
commission imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on Herakal and directed him to pay the
amount lump sum or in three installments of Rs 5,000 per month to the
government.
He also
directed him to pay a compensation of Rs 1,000 to Umapathi “for the loss and
other detriments suffered by the petitioner.”
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