Compensation under Consumer protection Act for deficiency in services under the RTI Act
18 Apr, 2012The Chandigarh Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum headed by its President P D Goel and Member Dr Madanjit Kaur Sahota have directed the Punjab Financial Corporation (PFC) to pay Rs. 50,000 as compensation to a RTI applicant. Further, the Forum has directed the PFC Assistant Public Information Officer to pay Rs 5,000 to the applicant.
A 73-year-old resident of Kotkapura of Punjab, Mr. Balraj Kalra filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act in June 2011 seeking certain information. He wanted to know about a sale of land by PFC which was on lease with Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC), to his wife. He claimed that by giving wrong information, PFC had defrauded his wife by selling land which was not owned by it. He also claimed that on account of the wrong information and deficiency in services, his wife had to suffer loss and detriment
The PFC stated that wrong or incomplete information was not provided while arguing that Kalra could not be regarded as a consumer of the Corporation. The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum observed that Kalra was a consumer of the Corporation as per the Consumer Protection Act. The Forum noted that the PFC supplied him incomplete and jumbled information and penalised PFC for being grossly deficient in rendering proper services.