CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
Club Building (Near Post Office)
Old JNU Campus, New Delhi - 110067
Tel: +91-11-26161796
Decision No. CIC/SG/C/2009/000700/4299
Complaint No. CIC/SG/C/2009/000700
Complainant : Mr. Radhey
Village & PO: Chilla,
Saroda, New Delhi 110091
Respondent : Public Information Officer
Land and Acquisition Department
Govt. of NCT of Delhi,
O/o Land and Acquisition Collector,
M.B.Road, Saket, New Delhi - 110017
Facts
arising from the Complaint:
Mr. Radhey had filed a RTI application with the Public Information Officer, GNCT –
Land and Acquisition, New Delhi on 05/09/2008 asking for certain information. Since no reply
was received within the mandated time of 30 days, he filed a complaint under Section 18 of the
RTI Act to the Commission.
The Commission issued a notice to the PIO on 16/06/2009 asking him to supply the
information by 11/07/2009 and sought an explanation for not furnishing the information within
the mandated time.
The PIO had informed the Commission on 25/06/2009 that the information has been sent
to the Complainant on 03/10/2008 in which he had sought additional fee. From a perusal of the
papers submitted by the PIO it is appears that the PIO had not specified the amount to be paid for
the information. While asking additional fee for photocopying the PIO should have mentioned
the amount and the number of pages required to be copied. Since the period of 30 days is over
the PIO should have supplied the information free of cost to the Complainant.
Decision:
The Complaint is allowed.
The PIO will send the complete information to the Complainant free of cost before
August 15, 2009.
The PIO’s action clearly amounts to denial of information without any reasonable cause.
The PIO is therefore, directed to submit a written explanation to show cause why penalty should
not be imposed and disciplinary action not be recommended against him under Section 20 (1) &
(2) of the RTI Act before August 20, 2009.
If the information has already been supplied to the Complainant, furnish a copy of the
same to the Commission with your written submission.
Notice of this decision be given free of cost to the parties.
Any information in compliance with this order will be provided free of cost as per section 7(6) of
RTI, Act, 2005.
Shailesh Gandhi
Information Commissioner
29 July 2009
(In any correspondence on this decision, mention the complete decision number.)(RM)