MSEDCL faces Rs25K fine for delay in RTI reply

State Information Commission (SIC) has fined Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) public information officer (PIO) of Rs25,000 for 13-month delay in giving reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query.

A resident of Archana Aboli Apartments in Shivajinagar had filed an RTI with MSEDCL over a doubt that some residents of his society were using electricity for commercial purpose. He wanted to know whether the company was providing electricity at residential or commercial rates. Members of the society filed an RTI on March 12, 2011. With no response from the MSEDCL department, the first reminder was sent on April 16 and the second on August 22, 2011.

Nagrik Chetana Manch president Major General (retd) SCN Jatar said, "The office-bearer of the society was using two flats for commercial purpose in the residential area which is not allowed. MSEDCL took more than 13 months to reply to the our query. The matter was heard before retired justice PB. Sawant in the Public Commission of Inquiry. It was only after interim orders of the SIC on April 20 that MSEDCL parted with the information on May 6 after 13 months. Therefore, SIC has slapped a fine of Rs25,000 on the PIO."