FPJ: Mumbai: Tuesday,
29 October 2024.
As per Section 25(1) of the
RTI Act 2005, the SIC is mandated to prepare an annual report detailing the
performance of various public authorities, including data on RTI applications
received, first appeals, second appeals, complaints received and disposed of,
and pendency statistics at various sub-information commissions.
Almost three months after social activists Mehul Haria and Kamlakar Shenoy wrote to the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) raising questions about the delay in publishing annual reports by the State Information Commission (SIC), the Commission is yet to upload the information on its website. The activists had stated that there has been wilful, deliberate and unreasonable delay in publishing the 17th annual report for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 18th annual report for the year ended December 31, 2023.
As per Section 25(1) of the RTI Act 2005, the SIC is mandated to prepare an annual report detailing the performance of various public authorities, including data on RTI applications received, first appeals, second appeals, complaints received and disposed of, and pendency statistics at various sub-information commissions.
According to Haria, the 17th annual report for the year ending December 31, 2022 has still not been published, even though the SIC’s Public Information Officer had clearly stated in the order dated April 29, 2024 that the report would be completed and submitted to the General Administration Department (GAD) by May 31, 2024. Additionally, the order specified that the 18th Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 2023 should be submitted to the GAD by the end of June 2024.
“However, as of today, though the 17th annual report was laid before both the houses of the state assembly, but not published for citizen access, the 18th annual report has not been sent to GAD for placing before both houses thus delaying access to the citizens. This delay in releasing the reports is concerning, as it reflects a lack of transparency in assessing the performance of public authorities and the SIC itself under the RTI Act,” Haria said.
When contacted, official sources from the SIC pleaded ignorance about publication of the 17th annual report. "The General Administration Department (GAD) has not forwarded the report to the SIC after it was placed before both the houses of the state assembly in July, 2024 and has been approved. The draft of the 18th annual report for December 31, 2023 has been sent for printing. Once received, the report will be sent to the GAD which will then submit it before the state government."
"The government is likely to table the report for December, 2023 before the both houses in the next session for approval," they added.
Referring to the letter written by the CIC to the state chief secretary on May 22, 2024, the activists had stated that the CIC clearly mentioned about failure in discharging duty by 24 departments of the state government to provide information as required under Section 25 of the RTI Act.
Almost three months after social activists Mehul Haria and Kamlakar Shenoy wrote to the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) raising questions about the delay in publishing annual reports by the State Information Commission (SIC), the Commission is yet to upload the information on its website. The activists had stated that there has been wilful, deliberate and unreasonable delay in publishing the 17th annual report for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 18th annual report for the year ended December 31, 2023.
As per Section 25(1) of the RTI Act 2005, the SIC is mandated to prepare an annual report detailing the performance of various public authorities, including data on RTI applications received, first appeals, second appeals, complaints received and disposed of, and pendency statistics at various sub-information commissions.
According to Haria, the 17th annual report for the year ending December 31, 2022 has still not been published, even though the SIC’s Public Information Officer had clearly stated in the order dated April 29, 2024 that the report would be completed and submitted to the General Administration Department (GAD) by May 31, 2024. Additionally, the order specified that the 18th Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 2023 should be submitted to the GAD by the end of June 2024.
“However, as of today, though the 17th annual report was laid before both the houses of the state assembly, but not published for citizen access, the 18th annual report has not been sent to GAD for placing before both houses thus delaying access to the citizens. This delay in releasing the reports is concerning, as it reflects a lack of transparency in assessing the performance of public authorities and the SIC itself under the RTI Act,” Haria said.
When contacted, official sources from the SIC pleaded ignorance about publication of the 17th annual report. "The General Administration Department (GAD) has not forwarded the report to the SIC after it was placed before both the houses of the state assembly in July, 2024 and has been approved. The draft of the 18th annual report for December 31, 2023 has been sent for printing. Once received, the report will be sent to the GAD which will then submit it before the state government."
"The government is likely to table the report for December, 2023 before the both houses in the next session for approval," they added.
Referring to the letter written by the CIC to the state chief secretary on May 22, 2024, the activists had stated that the CIC clearly mentioned about failure in discharging duty by 24 departments of the state government to provide information as required under Section 25 of the RTI Act.
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