Early Times Report
jammu, Mar 11:The State Information Commission (SIC) has directed the Chief Engineer PWD (R&B) Jammu to provide information related to newly joined Assistant Engineers (AE's Civil) to an information seeker free of cost under State RTI Act. The information according to RTI applicant was denied by the office of the Chief Engineer and instead his application was forwarded to different Executive Engineers (Xen's). The applicant finally knocked the doors of SIC which issued the orders and directed the Chief Engineer to provide the information free of cost to the RTI applicant.
Details available with Early Times reveal that one Dr.Amit Sharma, S/O Rajesh Sharma,R/O Kana Chak, Akhnoor Road, Jammu moved an application dated 15.10.2014 before the PIO/ office of the Chief Engineer, PWD, Rail Head Complex, Jammu under the Jammu & Kashmir Right to Information Act, 2009 wherein he sought certain information pertaining to those candidates who were allowed to join for the post of AE(Civil) in the office of the Chief Engineer, PWD(R&B), Jammu.
The PIO after collecting the information pertaining to the office of the Chief Engineer, PWD(R&B), Jammu comprising of 28 leaves furnished to the information seeker vide office letter No.CEJ/G/14616-49 dated 18.12.2014 without any delay. However, the information seeker was not satisfied with the information provided to him by the PIO, filed first appeal before the Superintending Engineer, PWD(R&B), Jammu which was disposed of vide office order No.SEJ/RTI/6710 dated 29.11.2014. In the said order, PIO in the office of the Chief Engineer, PWD(R&B), Jammu was directed to provide the information sought by the information seeker.
In the second appeal filed before the State Information Commission (SIC) , the appellant has alleged that the PIO has acted in an irrelevant and unjustified manner, just to obstruct the information by forwarding the RTI application to 21 PIOs of PWD(R&B), Jammu Province who were not supposed to be the custodian of the information sought by the information seeker. The appellant further prayed that the information sought is lying in the office of the Chief Engineer, PWD(R&B), Jammu.
The Commission (SIC) after hearing both parties ruled, "In view of the aforesaid facts and submissions made by the parties, the PIO/office of the Chief Engineer, PWD(R&B), Jammu is hereby directed to furnish the certified copies of the relevant documents free of cost, if any, requested by the information seeker after inspection of the record and report compliance to the Commission" . |
