[Resolved]  Aseb — ASEB fails to provide information under RTI

Address: Kamrup Metropolitan, Assam

Inordinate delays in furnishing information under the Right to Information Act, 2005, has become frequent in Assam with users becoming increasingly frustrated. There have been cases in which information about the use of tax payer’s money has not been provided during the period stipulated under the provision of the Act.
The Assam Tribune has acquired documents which suggest that an application received by a State organization early this year has met with no response till today. The application to the Chief Public Information Officer, Assam State Electricity Board was handed over on February 2.

The information requested was the tour programme or tour diary related to official tours made by AK Sachan, IAS, from the period January 2007 to December 2009 in the capacity as Member (Finance) ASEB and Managing Director, Discoms, and Chairman ASEB. Also sought was information on expenditure incurred by Sachan as TA/DA for the same period during official tours.

According to the Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum, which filed the application, information was also sought on the tour programme and diary relating to the official tours of SC Das and CK Das, who served as Chairman ASEB during various periods.

After waiting for several months, and being unable to acquire the relevant information, the Forum next approached the Chief Information Commissioner’s office to “appeal against non-furnishing of information under RTI Act”. The appeal was submitted on June 22, and significantly it requested that penalty be imposed on ASEB for its failure to provide information to the applicant.

The Forum, in its letter to the Chief Information Commissioner, pointed out that due penalty should be imposed under a provision – Section 20 (1) – already existing under the RTI Act 2005.

It is worth mentioning that the Forum has on an earlier instance also faced delays in receiving information from the ASEB. The information in that case was sought with an application dated July 6, 2009. But after putting it on cold storage, information was finally provided in March this year.

RTI users and activists have frequently complained about delay in acquiring information, and believe that absence of penalty on erring government officials has made matters worse.

(THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, Sept 9)