Information commission issues bailable warrant against tehsildar (west)
Bailable warrant has been issued to the Ludhiana (west) tehsildar Pardeep Singh Bains on the orders of the State Information Commission for not appearing in person on the complaint of not providing information under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
Bailable warrant has been issued to the Ludhiana (west) tehsildar Pardeep Singh Bains on the orders of the state information commission for not appearing in person on the complaint of not providing information under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
State information commissioner Surinder Awasthi has ordered to issue the warrants against the tehsildar. In his orders dated November 21, Awasthi has asked the police commissioner, Ludhiana, to ensure his presence before the commission on the next date of hearing on December 16.
As per the copy of the judgment made available to HT by the complainant BS Sidhu of Sarabha Nagar, the commissioner found that the respondent-cum-public information officer (PIO) was absent without intimating the Commission. Even during the last hearing, the respondent had turned up after the hearing and had stated that the information has been provided through letter No 423 dated October 29, 2013 to the appellant.
However, the respondent PIO was directed to send the copy of information to the appellant and also the appellant was advised to peruse the same and point out deficiencies if any in written to the PIO.
But on the date of hearing on November 21, the appellant stated that he has not received any letter or response till date.
“This is in gross defiance to the commission's direction that the information be provided through registered post. Despite show cause notice, the PIO has neither supplied the requisite information to the appellant in response to his RTI application, nor is he present today. The Commission takes a serious note of this act to the PIO. Therefore, it is deemed fit to issue bailable warrants to the tehsildar,” stated the judgment orders.
Pronouncing the judgment, the commissioner has exercised its powers conferred under Section 18 (3) of the Right to information Act, 2005, read with the relevant provisions of the Civil Procedure Code with the direction that the said PIO shall produce the relevant record relating to the appellant's on the next date of hearing.
A copy of this order has also been sent to commissioner of police, Ludhiana, to serve the enclosed bailable warrants dated December 16, on Pardeep Singh Bains, tehsildar, Ludhiana (west).