Jharkhand info body violates RTI

Jharkhand Information Commission’s response to several RTI applications filed with them to know details about their functioning has revealed loopholes in the organisation.

Jharkhand Information Commission’s response to several RTI applications filed with them to know details about their functioning has revealed loopholes in the organisation.

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Section 4(1)(b)(iv) of the RTI Act says that every public authority shall suo moto publish “the norms set by it for the discharge of its functions” within 120 days of enactment of the RTI Act. When asked through an RTI application to provide a copy of these norms, the commission says that such “information is not available”.

The commission also refuses to provide copies of its annual reports. They do not even disclose whether they have prepared any such reports, which they are obliged to under Section 25 of the RTI Act.

It even refuses to provide the number of cases which were disposed off without any hearings. It also does not have the details of the number of cases in which penalty show cause notices were issued.

When questioned about any threat from RTI activists or what action the commission has taken regarding these complaints, it said that the information is yet to be compiled.

The commission does not even know the number of cases in which RTIs have been filed in their own office. Then, how does the commission ensure that replies are given within 30 days for the same.