Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Chief Secretary told to conduct investigation

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Information Commissioner of Kerala Palat Mohandas has ordered an inquiry by the Chief Secretary into the denial by the General Administration, Revenue and Home departments to give copies of orders relating to the Munnar mission last year, requested under the Right to Information Act.

While the General Administration and Revenue Departments maintained that no orders had been issued pursuant to report of Principal Secretary (Revenue) Nivedita P. Haran, the Home Department failed to respond to the request from this reporter within the stipulated time. Upon appeal, the departments provided some orders — mostly relating to posting of officials to Munnar — but orders on substantive issues such as the approval of Dr. Haran’s report by the Cabinet were not released.

The Commissioner noted that the Home and General Administration Departments had categorically denied issuing any orders concerning encroachments at Munnar and its neighbouring areas when the fact was to the contrary. “Therefore, the officials concerned in the two departments had given misleading information; and, calls for action against them under Section 20 (2) or the RTI Act.”

The Commission had called the Principal Secretary (Revenue) for hearing after the Public Information Officer C. Dileep failed “to provide any cogent reply to the queries of the Commission.” The Principal Secretary admitted that a government order had been issued after consideration of her report by the Cabinet and a copy had not been provided to the applicant. The Commissioner observed in his order that the first appeal preferred by the applicant had not yet been disposed of by the Principal Secretary and directed her to check up the position, as available on date and, provide copies of the orders issued on the subject, including the one as issued by the government pursuant to the submission of Dr. Haran’s report, within seven days.

The Commissioner found that a response given by the Assistant Public Information Officer in response to the request for information was illegal as only the Public Information Officer could have responded to the request.

He directed that a copy of the order be furnished to the Chief Secretary for conducting an inquiry into the whole episode and take appropriate disciplinary action.

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