UPSIC back to its old ways

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/UPSIC-back-to-its-old-ways/articleshow/44759795.cms

UPSIC back to its old ways

Neha Shukla,TNN | Oct 9, 2014, 09.21 PM IST

LUCKNOW: UP State Information Commission (UPSIC) turns deaf to
applicants' woes. Information commissioners (ICs) are refusing to hear
complaints filed under section 18 of the RTI Act.

Surprisingly, ICs are going against the 2010 order of the then chief
information commissioner (CIC), UP, Ranjit Singh Pankaj, which
directed all ICs to register and hear complaints filed by applicants
using the provisions of the Act.

Copies of complaints procured by TOI show that either the ICs are
refusing to hear the complaints or getting them converted into first
appeals thus causing further delay to applicant's bid to obtain
information.

"Complaints are being converted into first appeal under section 19(1)
of the Act and then sent to the first appeals authority of the
department. Complaint is thus disposed of in the first hearing," said
RTI activist Sanjay Sharma.

In that case, if first appeals authority does not respond to the
appeal, applicant has no option but to move second appeal to the
commission and wait for hearing.

ICs, however, have a different say. UPSIC gets more complaints than
appeals. Since first appeals authority is almost redundant in UP,
applicants do not file appeals but complaints to get information. The
reason why some of the complaints, which were filed without filing
appeals, were converted into appeals, says one of the ICs.

Former information commissioner, UPSIC, Gyanendra Sharma, said,
"Section 18 gives more powers to UPSIC than Section 19. It should be
followed in letter and spirit. Using the powers Section 18 bestows,
Public Information Officers (PIOs) should be summoned with all the
information and the applicant should be provided the same before the
complaint is disposed of."

Section 18 empowers ICs to penalize officer for delaying information
to the seeker, issue summons to authorities and also initiate inquiry
if the need be.

--
-Sincerely Yours,

Urvashi Sharma
Secretary - YAISHWARYAJ SEVA SANSTHAAN
101,Narayan Tower, Opposite F block Idgah
Rajajipuram,Lucknow-226017,Uttar Pradesh,India
Contact 9369613513
Right to Information Helpline 8081898081
Helpline Against Corruption 9455553838


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