DNA
India: Mumbai: Monday, October 07, 2019
For
the second time in a row, the State Information Commission (SIC) has failed to
compile annual report on time. In the past, commission reports have brought to
fore through Right To Information (RTI) that records are not being maintained
in government, and that senior officers are shirking responsibility to junior
officers, that first appellate authority should be a senior officer and that
designation of public information officers is being relegated to junior
officers.
The
commission compiles annual report as per calendar year (January to December)
and submits it to the state assembly. Commission report would be submitted the
following year by budget or monsoon session. This is the second time since the
RTI Act was enacted in 2005 that the report has been delayed for more than a
year.
The
last time the report was delayed was for the year 2016. The report back then
was submitted in budget session of 2018, instead of 2017. The report of 2016 is
also the last one prepared and submitted. Reports of 2017 and 2018, both are
yet to be compiled and submitted.
In
2016, despite being in office till May of 2017, former chief information
commission, Ratnakar Gaikwad failed to submit report before his retirement.
Ajit Kumar Jain, former information commissioner though got the additional
charge of chief commissioner soon, the report was compiled and submitted only
in April 2018.
When
contacted, Sumit Mullick, state chief information commissioner said, "It
took time to collect information from all the departments. And it took time to
ensure that there were no inaccuracies in the report."
"Maharashtra
has always been in the forefront in releasing annual reports on time. Many of
the public authorities and departments are also not giving information to
commission on time which is leading to delays. If they do not receive report
then that should be stated in the annual report. The commissioner should
recommend action be taken as per RTI Act on the department heads who do not
send annual reports on time of their respective authorities. It is natural that
administrative department of the information commission needs to follow up this
matter and if there is no response then that needs to be dealt with. Being an
administrative head of the commission, it is the responsibility of chief
commissioner to do whatever is necessary to publish report on time and if there
is any delay in providing information by the department heads, he should ensure
legal action is recommended or taken," said Bhaskar Prabhu, RTI activist.
SUBMISSION
FAILURE
In
2016, despite being in office till May of 2017, former chief information
commission, Ratnakar Gaikwad failed to submit report before his retirement.
Ajit Kumar Jain, former information commissioner though got the additional
charge of chief commissioner soon, the report was compiled and submitted only
in April 2018.
.JPG)
.JPG)
