PIO fails to attend hearing, State Information Commission rewards compensation of Rs 10,000 to applicant

The State Information Commission (SIC) has awarded a compensation of Rs 10,000 to an applicant after a Public Information Officer (PIO) repeatedly failed to attend the hearing.

The PIO was under suspension, and no officer appointed to attend the hearing and provide the information sought by Applicant Zahiruddin Badruddin Momin. The information pertained to building and factory department of C ward (Kalbadevi). Earlier the state government had suspended its assistant municipal commissioner, an engineer, and field officer were suspended for illegal building activities.

The compensation was awarded by state chief information commissioner, Sumit Mullick after he deferred the hearing twice so that PIO shows up for the hearing. The current PIO has now been asked why no penalty should be imposed if the applicant does not get the information within 30 days. The order that was signed recently bears the date of the first hearing, i.e. July 27.

Momin, a resident of Null Bazaar had first filed a complaint about refuge area, parking space, and fire room in a building being converted into residential buildings. After receiving his complaint, a site visit was conducted by officials. He then sought information about the tenants living in the buildings.

During the hearing, it transpired that the PIO who was supposed to provide the information was already under suspension. For a while, there was no PIO and first appellate officer.

Stating that there was "awesome irresponsibility shown in a big way", the commission stated that compensation is provided to the applicant by September 29. It also stated that the current PIO ensures that applicant is provided information within 30 days.