IT News
Imphal, Aug 30:
Manipur Information Commission has levied a penalty of Rs. 25,000 on Th. Bebina Devi, the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) and Superintending Engineer of Urban Circle, PHED, Manipur. The penalty, imposed under Section 20(1) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, comes after the SPIO failed to provide requested information to an appellant within the mandated time frame. Represented by Advocate L. Rajesh, the SPIO was found in violation of RTI regulations, prompting the Commission to order the Chief Engineer of PHED to deduct the penal amount from her salary within two months.
The appellant, Rishikumar Soraisham, had sought detailed information related to the recruitment process for 91 posts of Section Officer, Grade-I, under PHED. His request included access to his answer script, the answer key, marks secured, cut-off marks for OBC candidates, and marks secured by selected candidates. The Commission emphasized that such information is entitled to be disclosed under the RTI Act, supported by various court rulings.
The Commission dismissed the PHED’s refusal to release the requested information, declaring that such restrictions cannot be imposed based on departmental instructions. It reiterated that the RTI Act, aimed at fostering transparency and accountability, overrides other laws, and any restriction must be lawful and non-arbitrary.
The Commission also rejected the SPIO’s argument that disclosing the information could influence ongoing proceedings in a related case before the Court of State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Manipur. It noted that no court had issued a stay on the disclosure, making it obligatory under the RTI Act.
The Commission criticized the SPIO’s claim that releasing the information could trigger a surge in RTI applications, labeling this perspective as contrary to the RTI Act’s purpose. The next hearing in the RTI case involving the PHED is scheduled for September 5, 2024, at 12:30 PM, with a directive for the SPIO to provide all requested information to the appellant one week prior to the hearing.
