Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 2: State Information Commission (SIC) has directed the Director Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS &CA) to resend information to an RTI applicant about the pending vigilance enquiry of several officials of the department that include several Assistant Directors (ADs) and Tehsil Supply Officers (TSOs). Commission also castigated information for showing non seriousness towards RTI as he failed to attend two continuous hearings at SIC office.
Details available reveal that one Advocate Mohammad Irfan filed an RTI application on 4.11.2017 seeking information from the PIO office of the Directorate of Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA,) Jammu on 11 points regarding the details of pending vigilance inquiry against Assistant Directors (ADs), Tehsil Supply Officers (TSOs) , Store Keepers, Inspectors, Salesmen, Clerks etc Information seeker also sought details of officials involved in carriage scam in Rajouri district along with details of ration depots in Jammu city and Jammu rural and district wise details of ration depots of Jammu province .
The PIO FCS & CA furnished the information to the appellant vide his communication dated: 2 15.12.2017 in respect of point Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the RTI application. Since the rest of the information pertaining to entire Jammu province was to be collected from all districts and was not readily available with the PIO, the RTI application was transferred to the Assistant Directors (ADs) of Jammu Division under section 6 (3) of the JK RTI Act 2009 for providing information directly to the Information seeker.
Not satisfied with the information so provided by the PIO, the appellant filed First Appeal on 06.02.2018 with Director, FCS&CA, Jammu (First Appellate Authority -FAA) submitting therein that the PIO has failed to provide complete information to him. The FAA disposed of the First Appeal vide his order dated: 01.05.2018 whereby information in respect of point Nos. 1, 3, 10 and 12 was provided to the appellant. However, in respect of point Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 11, the appellant was informed that information is to be collected from all Assistant Directors of Jammu division to whom the RTI request has been transferred under section 6 (3) and that the Assistant Directors have been directed to furnish the information directly to the appellant. The ADs failed to provide complete information.
The appellant again not satisfied with Director's (FAA) reply filed Second Appeal before the State Information Commission (SIC) on 02.08.2018 which was admitted on 10.08.2018 by SIC. In his 2nd appeal the appellants submitted therein that he has not received the complete information as the concerned Assistant Directors have failed to furnish the information and also that the Directorate office has not furnished the reply to query no. 8, 10 and 12 though the order of the FAA shows that the information has been provided.
SIC's final order reads: "The continued absence of the appellant during consecutive hearings also indicate that he is not serious in pursuing this appeal before the Commission. However, the representative of the PIO was directed by the Commission during hearing to resend the information relating to point nos. 8, 10 and 12 to the information seeker/appellant even if furnished earlier. " |
