RTI Happenings: J & K: Asst Registrar denies information under RTI, fined

[karira]

As reported in kashmirdispatch.com on 23 August 2011:
http://www.kashmirdispatch.com/city/...tion-fined.htm

Asst Registrar denies information under RTI, fined

In a fist in Kashmir, Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), G R Sofi has imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 Public Information Officer Abdul Kabir Najar, Assistant Registrar, SKUAST (K) in a complaint filed by Nasar-ullah Shah, Sampat Prakash and others under RTI Act.

Sofi found no reasonable cause for not providing information to the information seeker from October 1, 2010 till date.

The Assistant Registrar has been found defaulting in terms of Sec 17 of State RTI Act, who has not provided the information even after the Commission was seized with the matter after having received complaint of the information seeker.

In its observation, the CIC has observed, “The PIO is thus guilty of showing scant respect and total disregard to the provision of the act which is mandated for brining transparency in the system and society. If erring and defaulting officers are not brought under the net of provision of Sec 17 of the State RTI Act 2009, the undersigned would be failing in his duty to uphold to safeguard the mandate of the state legislature and ensure that the writ of law is established”.