Information Commission fines 5 officers ₹50,000
Koppal The Kalaburagi Bench of the Karnataka Information Commission has imposed a total fine of ₹50,000 on five Public Information Officers for failing to provide requested information within the stipulated time and comply with the Commission’s directions. State Information Commissioner B. Venkata Singh issued the orders while hearing second appeals filed by applicants who had not received the information they had sought from the respective public authorities. The Commission imposed a fine of ₹10,000 each on Suryakanth, former First Division Assistant at Basavakalyan City Municipal Council; Mallikarjun, Secretary of Bolamanadoddi Gram Panchayat; Abhayakumar, Environmental Engineer at Kalaburagi City Corporation; Gurappa Nayak, Secretary of Jummapura Gram Panchayat in Kushtagi taluk; and Ravikumar, Secretary of Nagalapura Gram Panchayat in Hosapete taluk. According to the order, the officials failed to comply with directions to provide information to the appellants and submit proof of disclosure, along with acknowledgment receipts, to the Commission. The Commission has directed the respective superior officers to deduct the penalties from the officials’ salaries for the coming month. The collected amount must be deposited under the prescribed accounting head, and the payment receipts must be submitted to the Commission. Invoking Section 18(3) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the Commission also directed the officials to provide the requested information to the applicants immediately upon receiving the order. They must submit copies of the information supplied and acknowledgment receipts to the Commission and appear at the next hearing. The Commission further issued a warning under Section 20(2) of the RTI Act regarding the consequences of non-compliance. The respective First Appellate Authorities have also been instructed to take necessary action. They warned that recommendations for disciplinary action could follow if the officials fail to comply with the Commission’s directions.
