As BBMP cases mount, adalat in offing for speedy RTI disposal

Bangalore Mirror: Bangalore: Wednesday, 07 October 2015.

Over 27,000 cases are pending; move to clear them awaits official nod.

The number of BBMP-related RTI cases lodged with the state Information Commission (KIC) has touched 3,674. BDA-related RTI cases stand at 710, those to do with Bengaluru urban DC are at 169, followed by BWSSB cases at 142, Bengaluru rural DC office at 84 cases and cases relating to others range between 50 and 100. The KIC is also contemplating an RTI adalat to dispose cases at the door steps of the respective service providers. "Pendency of cases before the KIC has crossed the 27,000 mark. This has become a cause of serious concern. Justice delayed is justice denied. Hence, the commission is exploring options to address the issue," a senior KIC official told the Bangalore Mirror.

5,000 in city

KIC has segregated the pendency of cases department-wise and district-wise. This includes departments like BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, BMTC, BMRDA, BESCOM and other departments. More than five thousand cases that need speedy disposal, pertain to Bengaluru alone, sources said. With piling of pendency of cases pertaining to these local service providers, the commission is contemplating RTI adalats at the respective departments.

"Speedy disposal of cases is, no doubt, our top priority. We have asked the secretary to work on RTI adalats as prospective solutions. These will be the first of their kind in the state. We are waiting on discussions with the chief commissioner and others," said L Krishna Murthy, information commissioner.

The commission is contemplating such sittings on a large-scale to dispose of such cases by involving not only PIOs but the appellate authorities too. "An RTI adalat on the lines of water adalat or a lok adalat aims at redressing the grievance then and there without too many hearings and notices to concerned parties and PIOs.

Long adjournments

If the PIO or the party goes absent for even one hearing, then the case has to wait for another few months. This will be checked as we will have all PIOs, first appellate authority and zonal joint commissioners on one side and all petitioners on the other. Presided by the respective information commissioner, the case is being planned to dispose then and there in the presence of all," an officer explained.

RTI adalats will prevent several months of waiting for a single hearing and years for such hearings to dispose cases. Vrushabendra Murthy G C, secretary of the commission told BM, "The logistical part for holding such hearings on a large scale is being worked out. Under consideration of the KIC brass and as expressed by the petitioners and applicants, we are contemplating the same on an experimental basis to know the pros and cons. If it works, this could be an effective system."