Penalty on PIO :  First Time in Jharkhand 

Vishnu Rajgadia

Ranchi : The Jharkhand State Information Commission has imposed Rs. 25000 fine on the Chairman of Palamu District Consumer Forum. This is the first time in Jharkhand where a PIO has been penalized for defying the provisions of RTI Act 2005. Mr. Vinod Prajapati had sought some information from the Deputy Commissioner of Palamu in the state of Jharkhand. The information sought came under the jurisdiction of Consumer Forum, hence the Deputy Commissioner forwarded the application to the Palamu District Consumer Forum. But the forum did not provide the information to the applicant. The case then reached to the SIC and the chairman of the District Forum was summoned by the SIC. The Forum was still unperturbed. The Chairman used to send his subordinates instead of appearing himself before the commission. Lastly, the SIC fixed 13th of February 2007 for final hearing. But the Chairman again ignored the summon and again sent his subordinate with a plea that the proceeding should not be conducted as he has filed a writ in High Court. The State Information ommissioner Mr. Baijnath Mishra felt this action as defying of the RTI Act. He ordered a fine of Rs. 25000 against the Chairman. Mr. Mishra also ordered to collect the amount of the fine from the salary of the chairman. He also clarified that in case of his retirement the amount should be deducted from his pension.

The Jharkhand RTI Forum has thanked the SIC for its first decision for imposing the fine.

(Vishnu Rajgadia, Convenor , Jharkhand RTI Forum, 09431104424)