Information about registration of a Safe House for couples being managed by an NGO - CIC expressed extreme displeasure at the conduct of the PIO for not giving any reply and for not forwarding the RTI application to the concerned; Strict warning issued
30 Aug, 2021Information Sought:
The appellant has sought the following information with regard to the registration of a Safe House for couples being managed by an NGO:
1. Provide copies of form to be filled by a social organisation (NGO) to initiate the process of registration of the Safe Home for couples.
2. Provide the postal address and phone numbers of the concerned department and officials that are responsible for registration of safe home for couples in need of safety and protection.
3. Provide the phone numbers and postal address of the First Appellate Authority in the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Grounds for Second Appeal
The CPIO did not provide any information.
Submissions made by Appellant and Respondent during Hearing:
The appellant submitted that till date no information has been provided to him. The PIO, Department of Social Welfare, GNCTD submitted that the hearing notice alongwith a copy of the RTI application was forwarded to her on 31.05.2021 by the Nodal CPIO, WCD and before that she had no information about the pendency of any RTI application. She further submitted that a pointwise reply has been prepared and she is willing to send a copy of the same to the appellant.
Observations:
From a perusal of the relevant case records, it is an admitted fact that till date no reply has been given to the appellant. This delay is wholly on the part of the CPIO, MWCD and since he was not present for the hearing, it could not be ascertained as to why the RTI application was not forwarded to the holder of the information at the relevant time.
The Commission, therefore, expresses its extreme displeasure at the conduct of the CPIO, MWCD for not giving any reply to the appellant till date and for not forwarding the RTI application to the concerned Department at the relevant time. Moreover, he should have attended the hearing today when the notice was addressed to the Ministry.
Be that as it may, since no reply has been given to the appellant so far, the PIO, Department of Social Welfare, GNCTD is directed to send a copy of the reply dated 02.06.2021 to the appellant on his email id dhanka4humanity@gmail.com.
Decision:
In view of the above, the PIO is directed to send a copy of the reply to the appellant on the email id mentioned above within two days of the receipt of this order.
A strict warning is also issued to the CPIO, MWCD for handling the RTI application in such a casual manner. In case such a lapse is repeated by him, the Commission will be constrained to take strict action against him. The registry attached to this bench is directed to send a copy of this order to the CPIO, MWCD for his information.
The appeal is disposed of accordingly.
Vanaja N. Sarna
Information Commissioner
Citation: Asif Iqbal v. Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD) and Deptt of Social Welfare, GNCTD in File no.: - CIC/MOWCD/A/2019/138499, Date of Decision: 02/06/2021