Times
of India: Bhopal: Tuesday, 07 October 2014.
What's
ironical about Right to Information Act in Madhya Pradesh is that public
information officers guilty of stonewalling info and rendering the transparency
tool toothless are often rewarded with promotions by the government. Their
service records are shown as impeccable during promotions despite aberrations
in dispensation of duty and fines slapped on them for concealing information
under RTI.
Now, the
state information commission wants general administrative department (GAD) to
fortify RTI Act by blacklisting public information officers (PIOs) penalised
for denying information. "Their service records should be red-marked every
time they misuse their powers. This will act as a huge deterrent to PIOs, who
are undeterred by penalties. They will then think twice before denying
information once their promotions are stalled," said an official at the
state information commission. The commission penalizes at least 50 PIOs every
month for refusing information to RTI applicants, but hefty penalty has not
stopped their career graph from soaring. At least 400 PIOs, who were penalized,
were promoted within a three-year span.
Take the case
in point of public information officer, Surendra Kumar Upadhyay, who was senior
official with higher education department in February 2007. He was fined Rs
25,000 for denying information to an assistant professor of economics, S K
Wagle, a resident of Dhar. Wagle had filed a RTI plea seeking information on
authenticity of a letter issued by principal of government college of Kannod in
Dewas district. The petitioner felt the signature on the letter was suspect and
wanted an authorized copy.
On being
denied information by Upadhyay, he filed first and second appeals. But in the
interim period, Surendra Kumar was promoted as CEO, Zila Panchayat, Bhopal.
"He was elevated to IAS rank despite the fact the PIO was guilty of
concealing information and was slapped with a penalty," said an officer
with the information commission.
If GAD fails
to bring a law, information commissioners are planning to direct the
administrative department of the errant public information officers to take
disciplinary action against them under Section 2 of RTI Act.
Speaking to
TOI, information commissioner, Heeralal Trivedi said, "To protect
transparency and accountability in RTI Act, we will take the strong step to
direct the administration to include the penalty imposed on PIOs in their
service record. If not imposed by GAD, I will myself direct the order in my
next trial."
"Nowadays,
depositing a penalty of Rs 25,000 is not a big deal for PIOs. But by bringing a
strong deterrent like blacklisting their service books will definitely set
things right," said undersecretary, state information commissioner, Parag
Karkare.
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