PSIC penalises Abohar MC executive officer for no reply

Our Correspondent

Abohar, July 2

Coming down heavily on the Principal Information officer (PIO)-cum-Executive Officer (EO) of the Abohar Municipal Corporation for his alleged absence from a hearing and not replying to a show-cause notice issued on an ex-staffer’s appeal, the Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC) has imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000 and directed the “erring officer” to pay Rs 3,000 as compensation to the appellant.

Charan Dass, who retired on superannuation of service from the Abohar MC on December 31, 2017, said his pension wasn’t released and retirement benefits weren’t given to him. Through an RTI application filed on May 5, 2019, Dass sought information on the resolution passed by the MC in September 2018 relating to his posting in the accounts branch and entry in service. Subsequently, on getting no information, he had to file two appeals before the first appellate authority, but the PIO-cum-EO never provided complete information.

On June 22, the day of hearing, the PIO was absent again and he hadn’t filed a reply to the show-cause notice.

State Information Commissioner Khushwant Singh observed in his interim order that the PIO had failed to comply the commission’s order, he is hereby held guilty for not providing the information within 30 days and for willful defiance of the commission’s orders.