| Lethargic SIC focuses on deficiency, denies information to seeker | | | Avinash Azad
JAMMU, June 19: In yet another lethargic stance of authorities of State Information Commission, the information was denied to the seeker in the lieu of deficiency in application, even as the First Appellate Authority RTI, act had admitted that incomplete information was furnished to the seeker.
According to documents with Early Times, Sardar Kulwant Singh Bhatti sought answer of two queries under RTI act 2009 from SICOP on September 9, 2013 but the information was not provided him after lapse of more than 9 months.
Moreover, when the applicant approached to SIC, instead of directing the PIO concerned for furnishing information, the commission pointed out deficiency on the part of applicant. The commission in reply a written complaint filed by the information seeker on May 23, 2014, replied to the applicant, "The postal order attached with the document (application) is blank, which should be payable to account officer of the public authority concerned, you are as such required to make up the deficiency within 10 days for further course of action at the end."
"Entrepreneur, AP Steel fabrication industry at Birpur SICOP industrial Estate Bari Brahmana had applied for allotment of additional land on March 14, 2013 under receipt number 171 in directorate office SICOP Jammu. The Entrepreneur has not received any response from your side till date for his first query. And under second query he also applied for removal of dilapidated tube-well room which hinders smooth functioning of factory, but no response was made by the concerned authority", the queries raised by information seeker before PIO, SICOP read.
Astonishingly, on February 26, 2014 Senior General Manager, the first appellate authority, SICOP responding to the applicant had directed the PIO to furnish the complete information.
"The PIO passes the order which was received by the appellant. The appellant has stated the information provided to him is incomplete. After going through the points of information provided by the PIO, it was found that the information has not been provided in accordance with the requirement of RTI application", the first appellant authority, RTI wrote in his order.
However, contradicting SIC's objection, RTI activist Balwinder Singh said that the commission was harassing the information seeker. "The commission has nothing to do with application whether the PIO was blank. If PIO had responded to the query and first appellate authority had also directed to the PIO to furnish information then why commission is objecting on ground of deficiency", he wondered. When contacted, Registrar SIC, G Q Bhat said that he was not aware about the case. "I can comment only going through the documents", the Registrar said, adding that the commission could object if it found any deficiency in application on the part of applicant as per rule. |
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