CIC imposes Rs 25,000 fine on MCD PIO for delay in giving info

NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission has imposed the maximum permissible penalty of Rs 25,000 on a deemed Public Information Officer of MCD for a delay of over 100 days in providing information to an applicant under the RTI Act.

Exercising his Right to Information, Vivek Garg had in May last year filed an application with Municipal Corporation of Delhi seeking details of Satish, junior engineer working in the Building department under Civil Lines Zone.

He also sought the property details of the official and orders issued to demolish illegal buildings by him. However, the MCD did not supply information within the stipulated time of 30 days.

"I have asked MCD to give me details of the officer's activities. The civic body in a callous way asked me to pay an undisclosed amount for photocopies. Despite several reminders and follow-ups I was not told about the exact amount to be deposited for getting the documents," Garg claimed.

Dissatisfied over the response from both the PIO and the First Appellate Authority, Garg moved the CIC seeking action against the erring information official.

"The Commission finds this a fit case for levying penalty on V P Dahiya, Executive Engineer (B) and Deemed PIO. Since the delay in providing the information has been over 100 days, the Commission is passing an order penalising Dahiya Rs 25,000 which is the maximum penalty under the Act," Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said in an order on January six.

It has directed the Commissioner of the civic body to deduct the amount in part every month from Dahiya, who is now posted as an EE in Central Zone, Lajpat Nagar.

"The amount may be deducted at the rate of Rs 5,000 per month from the salary of Dahiya and remitted by 10th of every month starting from February 2011. The total amount of Rs 25,000 will be remitted by June 10," Gandhi said.