RTI panel penalises two RTO officers in Amritsar for repeated non-compliance

State information commissioner Harpreet Sandhu imposed the penalties under Section 20(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, on Khushdil Singh, then RTO-cum-PIO, RTO, Amritsar, and Mandeep Singh Sohi, ATO-cum-PIO, RTO Amritsar, in appeal case of 2024

The Punjab State Information Commission has imposed a ₹5,000 penalty each on two public information officers (PIOs) of the regional transport office (RTO), Amritsar, for repeatedly failing to comply with the commission’s directions and remaining absent from five consecutive appeal hearings.

The matter has been adjourned to October 16. (HT)

State information commissioner Harpreet Sandhu imposed the penalties under Section 20(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, on Khushdil Singh, then RTO-cum-PIO, RTO, Amritsar, and Mandeep Singh Sohi, ATO-cum-PIO, RTO Amritsar, in appeal case of 2024.

The order came after the appellant informed the commission that the information sought under the RTI Act had still not been furnished despite repeated hearings. During the proceedings, the departmental representative appearing on behalf of the PIOs was also unable to satisfactorily explain the status of the pending information or respond to the commission’s queries.

The commission observed that the two officials remained absent during five hearings held between August 2025 and May 2026. It also noted that a show-cause notice under Section 20(1) had already been issued on December 9, 2025, but the commission’s directions were not complied with.

Reiterating that timely compliance with the RTI Act and the commission’s orders is a statutory responsibility of public information officers, Sandhu observed that repeated disregard of such directions could invite appropriate legal consequences.

The commission directed that the penalties be recovered directly from the salaries of the two officials and deposited in the state treasury. The drawing and disbursing officer, RTO Amritsar, has been directed to recover the penalty from Mandeep Singh Sohi, while the secretary, personnel (PCS branch), Punjab government, has been instructed to deduct the penalty from Khushdil Singh’s salary. Singh is presently serving as deputy excise commissioner, Patiala.

Both authorities have also been directed to submit compliance reports to the commission.

The matter has been adjourned to October 16.