Thursday, March 10, 2022

Four officials fined for ignoring pleas under RTI Act

The Print: Jaipur: Thursday, 10 March 2022.
The Rajasthan State Information Commission has imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on four government officials for ignoring several people’s pleas to provide information sought by them.
The four officials who have been fined for ignoring the pleas under the transparency law include a former district education officer in Udaipur and a government school principal of Chittorgarh district.
Information Commissioner Narayan Bareth also imposed the fine on two other officers — a development officer of Sriganganagar district and village development officer of Beriyawali in Bikaner district.
The commission fined Udaipur’s district education officer (primary education) on the plea of local resident Jayesh who said in his appeal that his application for the information had been lying with the district education officer for a long time but it was being acted upon.
The commission called for a reply from the officer but even after several reminders he neither appeared nor did he give any answer.
On this, the commission expressed its displeasure and directed to recover the amount of fine from his salary.
While hearing another case in Chittorgarh district, Commissioner Bareth imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 on the then principal of a government school in Gokul.
Manoj Ojha had complained to the commission that he was trying to get some information since 2019.
But the school management did not listen, he said.
In another case, a fine of Rs 5,000 was imposed on a former development officer of Sadulshahar in Sriganganagar district for negligence in giving information.
Along with this, the commission directed to provide the requisite information within 15 days.
The commission has also ordered to impose a fine of Rs 5,000 on the then village development officer of Beriyawali in Bikaner district.