Information officer faces penal action for not giving applicant details under RTI

A public information officer (PIO) was threatened with action under provisions of the Indian Penal Code for not providing information to an applicant under the RTI Act. The applicant had sought details on action taken by the charity commissioner's office on an earlier information commission order, which had sought punishment for another PIO.

The commission slapped a show cause notice on the PIO, asking why action should not be taken on him under section 166 of the IPC. The section states that any public servant who knowingly disobeys any direction of the law with an intention to hurt someone will be either imprisoned or fined.

State chief information commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad sent the notice based on Andheri resident Yajurvedi Rao's application.

Rao had previously asked for some information and it was not given. When the matter went up to the information commission, it had fined the then PIO and asked for disciplinary action.

"This time, I wanted to follow up on the action the charity commissioner's office had taken on the information commission's order to punish the PIO for not providing the details. However, the current PIO did not give any information even after the first appeal was filed," said Rao.