CIC seeks action against officers for denial of info

Times of India‎‎‎‎: Bengaluru: Tuesday, April 19, 2016.

Irked by the devil-may-care attitude of public information officers (PIOs), Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) L Krishnamurthy has shot off a letter to chief secretary Arvind Jada v, asking him to take strict disciplinary action against them. Despite the State Information Commission (SIC) slapping multiple penalties on them for stonewalling RTI queries, the errant PIOs have refused to fall in line, Krishnamurthy has claimed.

Stating the letter is not a result of stray cases, Krishnamurthy said most of the PIOs are misusing their positions or not doing their jobs.

After the number of penalties reaches 21, the maximum allowed by law, the commission recommends strong disciplinary action against the PIOs by their individual departments. But that too is not being done, according to Krishnamurthy. The commission levied 21 penalties on a PIO with BBMP after he stalled queries seeking information on building plans, khata services and other projects. But it didn't work. The commission then issued a directive that disciplinary action be initiated against the PIO.

In 2013-14, 2,000 PIOs were pulled up for withholding information, resulting in the collection of Rs 59.95 crore in penalties. But the ground reality hasn't changed. "Levying of penalties hasn't helped; Rs 25,000 is not seen as a very high amount by these officials. Some of them paid Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh but haven't mended their ways. Hence, only strong disciplinary action by their departments will serve as a deterrent," Krishnamurthy said.

Citing another example, he said a tahsildar from Bengaluru South and a PIO had perfected the art of making RTI applicants run from pillar to post. Instead of divulging information on land and revenue, he would pick holes in the query format and say his department didn't have the documents. After slapping a penalty on him 21 times, the commission recommended disciplinary action but it is yet to be taken.

Krishnamurthy said such incidents forced him to bring the matter to the chief secretary's notice. Lack of seriousness among PIOs has led to SIC being flooded with second appeals.