Official fails to provide information under RTI Act, Ludhiana civic body fined Rs 3,000

The PIO failed to provide information under the RTI Act related to challans issues against buildings in Blocks 32 and 32-A

With the public information officer (PIO) of the municipal corporation (MC) failing to provide information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act regarding the challans issued against buildings in Blocks 32 and 32-A (under Zone A), the state information commission has imposed a penalty of Rs 3,000 on the MC, which would be paid as compensation to the appellant.

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A show-cause notice has also been issued to the PIO of Zone A in another case for failing to be present during the hearing of a case held on June 9 through video conferencing.

The PIO has also been directed to remain present during the next hearing of the case.

In this case, the applicant had sought copies of an application given by a coloniser to establish a colony, Barewal Awana, on the Sua Road, and the receipts issued by the MC against the same.

In both the cases, the complaint was filed by RTI activist Baljeet Singh, who said that the PIO was not providing him the information, following which he had to file a complaint with the state information commission.

The RTI application in both the cases was filed in November last year.

The hearing of both the cases was held on June 9 through video conferencing. The commission has ordered that the penalty would be paid out of the account of the public authority and not from an individual’s account.

The next hearing in both the cases has been scheduled for July 14.