Compensation awarded to applicant for the delay in providing information
17 Jan, 2013Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India seeking information regarding action taken on his letter. The Public Information Officer (PIO) provided point wise response to the applicant.
Proceeding
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the appellant expressed great dissatisfaction stating that he had been provided information after an unduly long delay. The respondent stated that the RTI application was forwarded by head office to Gorakhpur branch and was received after one month following which information was collected and furnished after three months. The appellant further submitted that payment due to him was released with a delay of three years, that too after the order of the first appellate authority which was 15 months after he had put in his RTI request. The respondent stated that the Corporation has already paid an amount of Rs. 4402/– to the appellant as interest due on the delayed payment.
View of CIC
The Commission directed the PIO to provide the appellant with a copy of the rules pertaining to interest on delayed payments. Under section 19(8)(b) In its decision, the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, has the power to require the public authority to compensate the complainant for any loss or other detriment suffered; of the RTI Act, the Commission awarded a compensation of Rs. 5000/– to the appellant stating that there has been an inordinate delay in providing information to the appellant during which period he had to run from pillar to post to obtain the requested information resulting in great mental and physical anguish and financial detriment to him.
Citation: Mr. Ram Dhani Ram v. LIC of India in Appeal: No. CIC/DS/A/2012/001009
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2013/CIC/971
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission