CHENNAI: The State Information Commission has imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on a special tehsildar for failing to provide information sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, citing shortage of officials and heavy workload.
During the hearing of an appeal, State Information Commissioner Abay Kumar Singh said the reasons given by the Information Officer for not providing the details could not be accepted. He also directed the official to file a compliance report on September 29.
V Loganathan, a resident of Kovilambakkam, had sought certain revenue-related details from the Revenue Divisional Office (RDO), South Chennai.
The then Information Officer of the RDO, C Vanitha, failed to provide the information Loganathan sought. Subsequently, he filed an appeal with the State Information Commission, which was heard by Abhay Kumar Singh.
In her reply to the Commission, Vanitha said she had been responding to RTI petitions. However, owing to a shortage of officials and the heavy workload of handling RTI petitions from five revenue taluks, she could not provide the information sought by the petitioner.
She also assured the Commission that she would discharge her responsibilities properly in future.
In his order, Abay Kumar Singh rejected the reasons given by the Information Officer and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 under Section 20(1) of the RTI Act. At the time, Vanitha was working as special tahsildar (land acquisition) in the Highways Department.
The Information Commissioner directed her to submit a compliance report on September 29.