The Hindu : New Delhi News : Show cause notice to officials

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Show cause notice to officials

Nirnimesh Kumar

For not furnishing information to a Delhi-based private security consultant

NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Chief Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) of the Union Ministry of Science and Technology and its Appellate Authority to show cause why disciplinary action should not be recommended against them for not furnishing certain information to a Delhi-based private encryption and information security consultant as directed by it.

The Commission has also directed them to explain why a penalty of Rs. 250 per day from the date of communication of its decision to them, subject to a maximum of Rs. 25,000, should not be imposed on them under the Right to Information (RTI) Act for their failure to furnish the information.

The consultant, Vijay Jha, had sought from DSIR information relating to award of grants to private individuals and companies for prototype development and about the efforts made to propagate the Techno-Entrepreneur Promotion Programme (TEPP) across the country in the past seven years.

Later, Dr. Jha had approached the Appellate Authority after the denial of information by the Department but there was no response from the authority as well even two-and-a-half months after the appeal had been filed.

On an appeal, CIC had on May 17 this year directed CPIO and the Appellate Authority to place on the website of the Department the details of procedure in both TEPP and Programme Aimed at Technological Self-Reliance (PATSER) and types of programmes together with the names of those selected.

The Commission had also directed that the information should be provided to the applicant within the time prescribed under the Act.

It had directed the Appellate Authority to show cause within 15 days why his failure to respond to the applicant's appeal should not be viewed adversely by it.

However, neither the CPIO nor the Appellate Authority responded to the Commission's directives.

Thereafter, Dr. Jha approached CIC submitting that neither CPIO nor the Appellate Authority had complied with its directives.

In its decision, the Commission said that it appeared that they (CPIO and the Appellate Authority) had failed to furnish the requested information to the appellant within the specified period without any reasonable cause, and, as such, both of them were liable.

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