Patiala: The Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC) has directed a former BDPO of Nabha to deposit the Rs 25,000 penalty imposed on her for violating provisions of the RTI Act and submit a compliance report before the next hearing on Sept 9. Nearly three months after imposing the maximum penalty on the former public information officer (PIO), state information commissioner Bhupinder Singh Batth, during a hearing last week, directed compliance in the case in which the RTI applicant continues to await records related to two village panchayats almost two years after filing the application.Appearing before the commission, the complainant Gurpreet submitted that despite the imposition of the penalty, neither a reply nor the requested information was supplied by the concerned authorities.Addressing the grievance, the commission observed that in complaint proceedings, its primary role is to determine whether there was mala fide intent or negligence on the part of the PIO. “In this case, action has already been taken against the respondent PIO for delay in providing information. The only surviving issue in the present complaint pertains to the deposit/recovery of the penalty amount imposed upon the respondent,” the commission noted in its order.The current PIO-cum-BDPO Nabha, Jatinder Singh, and former PIO Baljit Kaur, along with other officials, were present during the hearing.The case originated from an RTI application filed on July 23, 2024 by Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Thuhi village in Nabha. Singh sought extensive records relating to gram panchayats Thuha Patti and Thuhi, including attested copies of no-objection certificates (NOCs) issued at the time of dissolution of the panchayats, bank statements of all active and closed accounts from Jan 1, 2019, to July 23, 2024, and details of development works executed under the administrator.The applicant also sought copies of quotations, final bills and labour muster rolls, information regarding panchayat registers and stock records, and digital records including videography of shamlat land auctions and gram sabha proceedings conducted in June 2024.In its March 12 order, the commission imposed the maximum penalty of Rs 25,000 on Baljit Kaur, then serving as BDPO Nabha, for what it described as a prolonged pattern of non-compliance with RTI proceedings. Terming the conduct “deliberate” and indicative of a “defying attitude”, the commission directed the dawing and disbursing officer (DDO) to recover the penalty from the officer’s salary. Kaur is presently posted in the office of the director, rural development and panchayats, SAS Nagar (Mohali). The commission also recommended that the director initiate appropriate administrative action against her.Baljit Kaur could not be contacted for comments. However, BDPO Nabha Jatinder Singh said that information to the applicant was almost compiled will be provided within a week. He said the fine would also be deposited by Baljit Kaur, as directions have been made to DDO to recover the penalty.MSID:: 131826900 413 |
