The state information commission has asked the civic chief to initiate criminal proceedings against two officials from the building proposal department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for not supplying information under the Right to Information Act.
The state information commission has asked the civic chief to initiate criminal proceedings against two officials from the building proposal department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for not supplying information under the Right to Information Act.
The exemplary punishment was awarded after the info chief took a stern view of repeated excuses by government officials to deny information to citizens. If found guilty, the officers could be jailed up to a maximum five years.
In this case, two applicants were not provided details of property, intimation of disapproval, occupation certificate, commencement certificate among other things. Both orders dated May 7 were passed by state chief information commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad.
Last year, Pradip Motla resident of Churchgate and Devendra Doctor, resident of Tardeo had sought details of some buildings and shops. Motla wanted details of building and some shops in his neighbourhood, while Doctor asked for information about the property where he resides.
Responding to both the applicants separately, the public information officers (PIOs) did not provide any details. At the second appeal stage, the commissioner passed an order stating that the respective files be reconstructed and information be provided.
However, despite the order, no information was provided and the PIOs stated that they had provided whatever information was available with them to the applicants. Taking a serious note of the issue, Gaikwad in his order stated that the issue was not befitting the municipal corporation.
Relying on the Maharashtra Public Records Act, 2005, the panel directed the BMC chief to initiate criminal proceedings. As per provisions in the Act, an officer can be sent to five years in jail or a fine of Rs 10,000 can be slapped on him/her or both. Gaikwad's order also stated that compliance report be sent to the info commission by June 8 in both the cases.
BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta did not respond to calls or SMSes.
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