Times of India: Mumbai: Saturday,
19 October 2024.
State Information
Commissioner (SIC) Rahul Pande dismissed an RTI appeal filed by govt employee
Rajendra Raut regarding the non-provision of postal ballots during the 2019 Lok
Sabha elections.
Raut submitted an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act on March 3, 2021, seeking details of any action taken against the concerned officers for failing to provide postal ballots to election duty employees. He also inquired whether such actions were noted in the officers' service records.
The Public Information Officer (PIO) responded to Raut's request on March 24, 2021, stating that the responsibility for providing postal ballots fell under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Election Officer of the 45-Deoli constituency. Dissatisfied with the response, Raut filed a first appeal, which was dismissed on May 24, 2021, after the PIO clarified that the appellant already received the relevant information.
Raut proceeded with a second appeal on June 15, 2021, claiming that misleading information was provided. During the hearing on February 21 last year, it was revealed that delays in submitting Form 12, required for postal ballots, and technical issues on the Election Commission's website caused 44 employees, including Raut, to miss out on their voting rights.
Pande dismissed the second appeal, noting that Raut already received the requested information. The matter has been referred to the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra to ensure that such issues do not deprive govt employees of their voting rights in future elections.
Raut submitted an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act on March 3, 2021, seeking details of any action taken against the concerned officers for failing to provide postal ballots to election duty employees. He also inquired whether such actions were noted in the officers' service records.
The Public Information Officer (PIO) responded to Raut's request on March 24, 2021, stating that the responsibility for providing postal ballots fell under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Election Officer of the 45-Deoli constituency. Dissatisfied with the response, Raut filed a first appeal, which was dismissed on May 24, 2021, after the PIO clarified that the appellant already received the relevant information.
Raut proceeded with a second appeal on June 15, 2021, claiming that misleading information was provided. During the hearing on February 21 last year, it was revealed that delays in submitting Form 12, required for postal ballots, and technical issues on the Election Commission's website caused 44 employees, including Raut, to miss out on their voting rights.
Pande dismissed the second appeal, noting that Raut already received the requested information. The matter has been referred to the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra to ensure that such issues do not deprive govt employees of their voting rights in future elections.
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