Hello Nick,
This case has some interesting points that have not been reported in the above new report. The
RTI application was forwarded to Shri Sunil Kumar on 25.12.2007 by the CPIO of Chandigarh Estate Office, as the matter came under the Land Acquisition branch. The reply was received only on 20.07.2007, by which time the second appeal before the
CIC was already filed and scheduled to be heard on 24.07.2007.
If you calculate the period of delay, it comes to about one year and seven months. Besides another important point of submission before the
CIC by the appellant is that
" the delay in response was deliberate in expectation of a bribe".
The penalty imposed by the
CIC is not for just skipping the hearing. Under the circumstances, I do not think Shri Sunil Kumar could have provided a convincing reply to explain the delay of one year and seven months, even if he had personally attended the hearing.
The full decision can be viewed from the following link:
Decision No. CIC/WB/A/2006/00932 dated 21/08/2007 on Appeal from Smt. Shakuntla Sethi Vs Estate Office, Chandigarh Administration