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| After holding RTI workshop SIC puts Principal GCW Nawakadal on penalty notice | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 14: The State Information Commission (SIC) has issued a penalty show cause notice against the Principal Government College for Women Nawakadal Srinagar for not providing information under State RTI Act to an RTI applicant from Srinagar.
The applicant had filed the RTI application before the Principal of the college more than three months back. The SIC has also directed the College Principal to disclose the said information proactively under section 4 (1) (b) of JK RTI Act 2009 on the college website.
Pertinent to mention the State Information Commission (SIC) had organized an RTI workshop at the aforementioned college which was attended by Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). The CIC addressed college staff and explained in detail about JK RTI Act 2009. The CIC had made them to understand the provisions of State RTI Act 2009 and its rules as well
The details available with Early Times reveal that State Information Commission received a complaint on 11.11.2013 from Syed Nassarulla Shah from Tengpora , Nowshehra Srinagar under section 15 of J&K RTI Act, 2009 against Public Information Officer (PIO )Government Women's College Nawakadal Srinagar. The applicant mentioned in his complaint that he filed an RTI application before Government Women's College Nawakadal seeking certain details but the PIO did not provided the information at all for many months. The documents available with Early Times reveal that an application under J&K RTI Act 2009 dated July 8th 2013 has been filed before Principal, Government College for Women, Nawakadal, Srinagar through speed post on 12.07.2013 seeking following information:-
List containing full particulars of regular students in Arts faculty 2nd year of Govt. College for Women, Nawakadal, Srinagar for the Session2012-2013 and 2013-14"
In response to the notice of the State Information Commission (SIC) dated 19.11.2013 the college principal deputed a lecturer in Commerce department namely Zahoor Ahmad to appear before the SIC Srinagar along-with a set of information on December 2nd 2013 . Sources say that college principal has not designated any PIO till date and the poor lecturer was made a scape goat by sending him to face the wrath of the SIC at the eleventh hour but the SIC didn't initiated any action against the lecturer and instead issued a penalty notice in favour of the college principal.
The SIC order reads as :
" It was however, found that this information has neither been sent to the information seeker nor a copy thereof has been marked to him. The Commission has noted that in spite of conducting an awareness camp in the College in the year 2012 by the State Information Commission, the Principal/College seem either ignorant about the provisions of the RTI Act or they are taking the RTI requests very casually. Principal of the College should know that disposal of the application within period prescribed is the essence of RTI Act and responsibility has been cast on the PIO for disposal of the RTI application/either by providing the information or rejecting the same for recorded reasons under Section 7 of the Act within a period of 30 days. As no such evidence has been produced before the Commission in this regard, it appears that this RTI application has not been disposed within prescribed period. The Commission has also noted the information sought is general in nature and ought to have been proactively displayed by the College under Section 4 of the J&K RTI Act, 2009. Therefore, Commission directs that information of general nature as contained in Section 4 of the Act particularly details of admission etc. be uploaded and disseminated in the official website of the College at the earliest. Set of information produced before the Commission is handed over to the information seeker".
The order further reads as :
" Principal Government College for Women Nawakadal, Srinagar is directed to explain as to why proceedings under section 17 of the J&K RTI Act, 2009 (penalty proceedings) should not be initiated against her for delay in disposing of the RTI application. Her response should reach the Commission with three weeks from issue of this issue of this order". |
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