Srinagar, Mar 29 : The State Information Commission (SIC) has issued penalty notice against Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Bandipora, as he denied information under RTI Act about class IV appointments made in Bandipora district from 2006 onwards. Details available with Early Times reveal that one Ghulam Mohammad Lone of Markoot, Gurez, in Bandipora district submitted an application to PIO-cum-CMO, Bandipora, on October 5, 2015, seeking information about appointment of class IV employees in Gurez tehsil and Bandipora from January 2006 to September 2015. When no response was received from him, he submitted First Appeal to Director Health Services, Kashmir, on November 4, 2015, but no response was received up to December 19, 2015. He then approached SIC and prayed that a penalty should be imposed on the concerned for not providing information under the Act and direct them to provide the requisite information as soon as possible. In compliance to the notice of the commission, the Bandipora CMO filed reply on February 17, 2016, stating therein that his office received information from BMO Gurez on December 31, 2015 and its copy was provided to appellant on January 6, 2016 through a registered post. The appellant admitted receipt of information, but submitted that information in respect of Bandipora had not been provided. Dr Anjum Afshan, PIO, DHSK, submitted before SIC that information in respect of Tehil Bandipora as received from CMO had been sent to the appellant under letter dated March 9, 2016 through speed post on March 12, 2016. In this regard, the PIO produced a copy of postal evidence. However, appellant submitted that he had not received information as yet. The appellant submitted that information in respect of Gurez was incomplete.
SIC's March 23, 2016 order reads as:
"Prima-facie, there is delay in responding to RTI application filed before CMO Bandipora on Otober 5, 2015. "Accordingly, the CMO is directed to explain as to why penalty proceedings under Section 17 of RTI Act shall not be initiated against him for delay in providing information to the appellant. His explanation should reach the commission within two weeks," SIC said. With these directions, the commission disposed of the appeal.
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