Functioning of the Odisha Information Commission has gained notoriety
26 Jan, 2013Odisha Information Commission has gained notoriety for non-supply of information to the Information-seeker and stands infamous as biggest killer of RTI in Odisha, forget the Block and Tahasil office which are habituated in denying information to the public since 2005.
Under section 15, 18, 19, 20,25 of the RTI Act, Odisha Information Commission shall function as an independent, autonomous and quasi-judicial body to dispense justice to the aggrieved citizens, take action against erring PIOs and enforce effective implementation of the Act in letter and spirit. Under section 2(h) “public authority” means any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted (a) by or under the Constitution; (b) by any other law made by Parliament; (c) by any other law made by State Legislature; (d) by notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government, and includes any- (i) body owned, controlled or substantially financed; (ii) non-Government organization substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government; of the RTI Act, Odisha Information Commission is a Public Authority which will make all arrangements including appointing PIO and First Appellate Authority for providing information to the citizens. But since last few months , It is found that the office of the Commission is functioning as worse to a Block and Tahasil office and started denying information to the RTI-Applicants. It needs to be mentioned here that the office of the Commission is not doing it whimsically but a calculated move not to disclose the information on the pretext that it may expose the corruption and nefarious practice going on in the commission. Please find below how the Commission is constantly denying information despite order of the First Appellate Authority and filling of complaint case by the applicants.
Date of submission of RTI Application |
Name of the RTI-Applicant |
Content of information |
Status of the application |
1.6.12 |
Tapan Mohapatra, Bhubaneswar |
Information sought about expenditure made for publication of booklets on RTI Act published in different tribal languages and amount paid for translation, name of the authority giving vetting to the publication |
The PIO of the Commission did not respond the application within the stipulated time period. A Complaint case was filed before the Commission on 7.8.12. Though six months passed, the Commission has not heard the case. |
15.11.12 |
Pradip Pradhan, Bhubaneswar |
Information was sought to know name of the officers/ employees against whom the commission has recommended disciplinary proceedings against the erring officers who have denied the information and copy of the compliance report submitted to the Commission by the concerned Public Authorities. |
The PIO intimated that the information is found in website. When website was searched, it was found false. Finding no information, the first appeal was made on dated 27.11.12 to the FAA who heard the case on 28.12.12 and directed the PIO to supply the information. Though about one month passed, the PIO has not supplied the information. |
14.11.12 |
Rabi Narayan Singh, Kalahandi |
RTI Application was submitted to the PIO, Dept. of Information and Public Relation to get the information about copy of decisions taken at Govt. level to provide fund to the Information Commission for awareness programme on RTI. |
The PIO, Dept. of I and PR transferred the application to the PIO, Office of Odisha Information Commission vide memo no 12809 on 1.12.12. The PIO of the Commission did not respond the application. Now the applicant has filed first appeal to the FAA on 16.1.13. |
14.11.12 |
Sanjib Satapathy, Dharmgarh, Kalahandi |
He submitted RTI Application to the PIO, office of I and PR seeking information about details of fund allocated to the Information in the year 2006-07, 2007-08 with date . |
The PIO, Dept. of I and PR transferred the RTI Application to the PIO , office of the Information Commission vide memo no. 12926 dt. 4.12.12. Though one month passed, the PIO, office of the Commission did not supply the information. First appeal was made on 29.12.12. But FAA is yet to hear the case. |
26.11.12 |
Dhulia Sahu, Junagarh, Kalahandi |
The information was sought from the office of Information Commission about details of expenditure made for translation of the RTI Act into different tribal languages. |
Though two months passed, the PIO has not supplied any information. Sri Sahu has filed first appeal on 6.1.13. |
These are few of many examples of violation of RTI Act by Odisha Information Commission. The people appointed in the Commission are inefficient , having no legal bent of mind which has been pointed out by Supreme Court and suffering from colonial mindset.
Pradip Pradhan