HYDERABAD: Telangana State Chief Information Commissioner Raja Sadaram Soma has clarified that non-availability of records and not tracing out the record are not considered exemptions to avoid or to delay providing information under the RTI Act, 2005. Public authorities are duty bound to maintain records and the information available at one point of time should also be available subsequently.
CIC Raja Sadaram Soma, while dealing with a complaint by Dr T.S.S. Lakshmi, 76, who served with the medical department for several years, alleged that she did not get information under the RTI Act from the very same department about her pension revisions. Mr Sadaram imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000 against the Director of Medical Education, who was the public authority responsible to provide information against the application of Dr Lakshmi,. The DME had disowned the responsibility by stating that no records were available pertaining to pensions prior to 2014.
The CIC said he was shocked at the attitude of the public authority. He directed the PIO to verify the record and furnish the information within one month before him.
