Times of India: Ludhiana: Tuesday, 27 Feb 2024.
A city-based right to information (RTI) activist has filed a police complaint seeking registration of an FIR against motor vehicle inspector-cum-public information officer (PIO), Regional Transport Authority (RTA) for providing false information. The activist had sought details of the RTA secretary’s fuel expenses, to which the PIO replied that details could not be given as bills had not been passed due to budget constraints. Contrary to this, the treasury office provided copies of fuel expense bills cleared for the RTA secretary.
RTI activist Ajay Sharma of Salem Tabri area said that on Feb 12, 2022 he sought a copy of the log book from Jan 1, 2021 to Dec 31, 2012 containing details of the government vehicle of RTA Ludhiana secretary, its fuel consumption, payment received for fuel consumption and how many times the vehicle had been taken out of the city for official work.
Sharma said that when he was denied information, he made the first appeal to RTA, Ludhiana. However, he was denied information again. Thereafter, he approached the Punjab State Information Commission on May 30, 2022. On the commission’s order the Motor Vehicle Inspector-cum-PIO provided him half of the information he sought.
“The PIO said that due to shortage of budget, fuel bills were not cleared by the treasury, therefore the information could not be shared. He also gave an affidavit saying that the entire information provided under RTA was correct and further information was not available. On Jan 10, 2024, I approached the district treasury office seeking the same details. On Jan 18, I received details from the treasury office that they had cleared the fuel bills of the RTA secretary’s vehicle. Thereafter, I sought information from the accountant general (audit) Punjab and got copies of fuel bills that were cleared by the treasury. This makes it clear that the PIO gave wrong information under RTI and also submitted a false affidavit. The PIO claimed that the fuel bills were not cleared, whereas the treasury shared details of each bill,” said Sharma.
Copies of details received under RTI are in possession of TOI. Sharma said that he has filed a police complaint seeking an FIR against the PIO-cum-motor vehicle inspector.
A city-based right to information (RTI) activist has filed a police complaint seeking registration of an FIR against motor vehicle inspector-cum-public information officer (PIO), Regional Transport Authority (RTA) for providing false information. The activist had sought details of the RTA secretary’s fuel expenses, to which the PIO replied that details could not be given as bills had not been passed due to budget constraints. Contrary to this, the treasury office provided copies of fuel expense bills cleared for the RTA secretary.
RTI activist Ajay Sharma of Salem Tabri area said that on Feb 12, 2022 he sought a copy of the log book from Jan 1, 2021 to Dec 31, 2012 containing details of the government vehicle of RTA Ludhiana secretary, its fuel consumption, payment received for fuel consumption and how many times the vehicle had been taken out of the city for official work.
Sharma said that when he was denied information, he made the first appeal to RTA, Ludhiana. However, he was denied information again. Thereafter, he approached the Punjab State Information Commission on May 30, 2022. On the commission’s order the Motor Vehicle Inspector-cum-PIO provided him half of the information he sought.
“The PIO said that due to shortage of budget, fuel bills were not cleared by the treasury, therefore the information could not be shared. He also gave an affidavit saying that the entire information provided under RTA was correct and further information was not available. On Jan 10, 2024, I approached the district treasury office seeking the same details. On Jan 18, I received details from the treasury office that they had cleared the fuel bills of the RTA secretary’s vehicle. Thereafter, I sought information from the accountant general (audit) Punjab and got copies of fuel bills that were cleared by the treasury. This makes it clear that the PIO gave wrong information under RTI and also submitted a false affidavit. The PIO claimed that the fuel bills were not cleared, whereas the treasury shared details of each bill,” said Sharma.
Copies of details received under RTI are in possession of TOI. Sharma said that he has filed a police complaint seeking an FIR against the PIO-cum-motor vehicle inspector.
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