E-Paper
Mullana former sarpanch fined ₹25k for not furnishing information under RTI
Haryana information commissioner has imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on former sarpanch of Mullana village Naresh Chauhan for not furnishing information sought by a resident under RTI
Haryana information commissioner Arun Sangwan has imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on the former sarpanch of Mullana village in Ambala’s Barara block, Naresh Chauhan, for not furnishing information sought by a resident under the RTI Act. The former sarpanch is also the state public information officer (SPIO) in the case.
The commissioner, during a hearing held on October 14, has also ordered issuing a notice to gram sachiv (secretary), Netarpal Singh asking him to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him for not dealing with the application. He has been asked to submit his reply by December 14. The next hearing has been fixed for January 10, 2022.
As per the commission’s order made available on Friday, the secretary, who is also the assistant state public information officer (ASPIO), has been asked to furnish the information free of cost to the applicant, Vinod Kumar, within two weeks of receipt of this order. The area BDPO has been asked to ensure compliance with the directions.
Kumar said through his application, he had asked for the usage of development funds in his village from 2016 to 2020. However, during the recent hearing, he asked for action against the SPIO and ASPIO for not furnishing the information despite the commission’s order to do so earlier this year.
The order reads, “The commission observed that the gram sachiv has given in written on February 5 that the information will be provided within 14 days, which indicates that the information is available in the record, but the same has not been provided by the SPIO intentionally.”
It said that a show-cause notice sent to the SPIO, now withdrawn, was also received back undelivered with the remarks of postal authorities ‘refused’ as on October 5. “This again shows that he is deliberately avoiding and not providing the information which violates the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005. Therefore, he has rendered himself for penal action,” it reads.
Meanwhile, Chauhan said he was not aware of any such order or fine imposed against him as the panchayat was dissolved on February 27, pending elections.
“I had given all information asked twice last year. The applicant has done illegal encroachments in the village due to which he and his family members are trying to intimidate me through such methods,” he said. On being asked about any action on the said encroachment, he said he had filed a complaint with the BDPO for necessary action.
