Telangana Today: Hyderabad: Monday, September 18, 2017.
The Central
Information Commissioner (CIC), Madabhushi Sridhar on Sunday directed Senior
Superintendent of Post Office (SSPO), South West, New Delhi, DR Sen to
show-cause why maximum penalty should not be imposed upon him for unlawfully
rejecting the information sought by an RTI activist, within 21 days of receipt
of the judgement copy.
The CIC had
issued these orders in a judgement based on a complaint filed by an appellant
Ramswaroop, who had approached CIC in November, 2016 after Chief Public
Information Officer (CPIO), Pinto Park branch and 3Wing branch of Post Offices
in Air Force area, New Delhi, refused to share information.
Through RTI,
Ramswaroop sought information on how many people exchanged old notes at the two
branches during demonetisation and total amount of new currency issued from
both the Post Offices.
Replying to
the queries, CPIO of the Post Offices said that the information is not
available in consolidated form and it can’t be furnished. “He simply said it is
not available in consolidated form, which is no defence at all. RTI Act allows
public authority to spend reasonable time and energy to consolidate information
sought,” the CIC in the judgement said.
The CPIO
appears to have not applied his mind to the law and facts of the case. What was
asked in this appeal did not even require a major consolidation and it is part
of their daily routine to consolidate amount exchanged at the end of day or
week or month, it said.
The
Commission found merit in appellant’s apprehension and recognises the need for
a probe by verifying the names of the persons who exchanged old currency notes.
The CIC had directed the Postal Department to submit a detailed report on this
issue within the next 45 days.
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