CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu State Information Commission (TNSIC), led by State Chief Information Commissioner Md Shakeel Akther, has ordered disciplinary proceedings against a Public Information Officer (PIO) for providing incorrect information to an appellant.

The order was passed during a hearing on a non-compliance petition filed by appellant S Zahir Hussain.

The Commission had originally heard the case on April 22, 2024, and issued an order directing the Public Information Officer concerned - a sub registrar - to supply information under clause 3 to the appellant via registered post with acknowledgement. In such a backdrop, the appellant filed a non-compliance petition on July 30, 2025, stating that he had not yet received information from the PIO.

On November 25, 2025, the appellant and on behalf of the public authority, P Kannan, the Public Information Officer/Sub-Registrar, Sub-Registrar Office, Kayalpattinam, appeared before the Commission.

During the proceedings, the PIO submitted copies of a letter dated May 3, 2024, claiming the information had been sent to the appellant. The PIO also presented a copy of the postal acknowledgement as proof of delivery.

The Commission noted this evidence and informed the appellant that the ground of non-receipt cited in his petition could not be accepted, as proof of delivery was furnished. Subsequently, the appellant contended that the information provided in the letter dated May 3, 2024, was itself incorrect, after which the Commission examined further.

It found that in response to the appellant's query regarding "register of details of land without patta," the PIO informed the appellant that "no such register is maintained."

The Commission held this information to be false and pointed out that maintaining the relevant register concerning the information sought is the duty of the PIO/Sub-Registrar.

Taking a serious view of the matter, the Commission has directed the Deputy Inspector General of Registration, Tirunelveli, to initiate departmental action against P Kannan for supplying false information.

Further, it directed the department to submit an action-taken report to the Commission on or before January 31, 2026, either in person or through a representative.

Additionally, it directed its office to forward relevant documents, including the appellant's original application and the PIO's May 3, 2024, reply, to the Deputy Inspector General of Registration, Tirunelveli, for necessary action.