Rs. 25,000 fine imposed on former municipal officer for violating RTI Act
8 Dec, 2013
In October, 2011, an application was filed with the Kendrapara municipality, Odisha under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking to get the details of the construction and repair of the municipal road from Tinimuhani to Icchapur during the period from 2007 to 2010. The applicant stated that his query was prompted by the suspicion of large scale irregularities in the work.
However, the former executive officer and public information officer of Kendrapara municipality declined to provide the requested information. As the applicant didn't receive the information within the stipulated time, he approached the Odisha State Information Commission. During the hearing of the case, the State Information Commissioner found that the requested information should have been provided to the applicant within norms as per the RTI Act and there has been a delay of more than 100 days.
The commissioner held the former municipal officer guilty under RTI Act and imposed the maximum penalty of Rs. 25,000 on him which is to be deducted in installments from his salary.