Corp defies RTI rule, fails to divulge audit reports

[karira]

As reported by Jeeva of TNN in timesofindia.indiatimes.com on 28 July 2008:
Corp defies RTI rule, fails to divulge audit reports-Chennai-Cities-The Times of India

Corp defies RTI rule, fails to divulge audit reports

CHENNAI: With scant regard for the Right To Information (RTI) Act, the Chennai Corporation has been refusing to disclose its audit reports for over eight months now despite the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission directing it to furnish copies of the reports to an RTI applicant.

V Madhav, a resident of Porur, filed an application under the RTI Act on December10 last year asking the Chennai Corporation to provide him the copy of its audit reports for the year 2006-07.

As the public information officer (PIO) of the civic body has failed to respond to the application even after the 30-day period as stipulated in the Act, the applicant filed his first appeal with the Corporation Commissioner, who is the first appellate authority. When the Commissioner also did not choose to reply, Madhav moved the State Information Commission against the Corporation.

On perusal of the case, the Commission, on April 8 this year, directed the Corporation to furnish the audit reports to the applicant within a month. But the civic body was still not willing to disclose the report.

The applicant, with no other choice, has again moved the Commission seeking to punish the officials concerned for their 'deemed refusal' to provide the audit reports. As per the RTI Act, the PIO has to provide the information within 30 days of receipt of the application, failing which he can be penalised Rs 250 for each day of the delay, subject to a maximum of Rs 25,000.

"I am surprised at the blatant refusal of the Corporation to disclose its audit reports and failure to obey the State Commission's order. The civic body should realise that its hiding of the reports would only raise a suspicion on its activities," Madhav said.

In yet another case, the applicant wanted to know whether the Corporation had complied with section 4 of the RTI Act as per which it should voluntarily disclose all its decisions affecting the general public.

But, the Corporation PIO, in his reply to the application filed during February this year, furnished just a list of PIOs assistant PIOs and appellate authority which is already available on the website and not relevant to his question.

When the applicant filed his appeal to the Corporation Commissioner, the civic body merely replied saying that the applicant can able to know all information about the activities of the Corporation from its website.

The applicant has now moved the State Information Commission seeking to direct the Corporation to reveal whether it had complied with the provisions of the Act pertaining to 'proactive disclosure of information' or not.