The Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC) has issued a showcause notice under Section 20(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the office of the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), Nabha, for persistently failing to furnish complete information to an RTI appellant. The commission warned that a bailable warrant would be issued if the officer fails to comply at the next hearing scheduled for June 11.
Order Passed by State Information Commissioner
The order was passed by State Information Commissioner Harpreet Singh Sandhu during a video conference hearing in appeal case No. 1069 of 2024. The appellant, Gurpreet Singh of Thuhi village in Nabha, Patiala, appeared through the platform. None of the respondents, including the PIO of Block Nabha or any representative of the First Appellate Authority, appeared or sent any intimation to the commission.
Background of the RTI Application
Gurpreet Singh had filed an RTI application (No. 97111) seeking information from the Office of the BDPO, Nabha block of Patiala. The First Appellate Authority in the matter was the Office of the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO), Patiala. When his application did not yield complete results through the department's appeal mechanism, Gurpreet Singh escalated the matter to the PSIC.
Multiple Adjournments and Compliance Issues
The case passed through multiple adjournments, with the bench's previous order dated December 12, 2025. The matter was then adjourned to February 12 this year, again to February 24, and reached its hearing in March this year. Gurpreet Singh told the commission that in compliance with the previous order, he communicated the deficiencies in the information supplied, in writing, to the notice of the PIO. He said the concerned panchayat secretary subsequently provided some information pertaining to those deficiencies. However, he maintained that the information remained incomplete and requested the commission to take action against the respondent PIO for willful delay and denial.
Commission's Directive and Warning
The respondent PIO remained absent from the proceedings and provided no prior intimation. The commission found the conduct unacceptable. The commission directed the PIO to provide complete certified information to the appellant, appear in person on the next hearing date, and file a written reply to the notice. The order stated that failure to comply will result in the issuance of a bailable warrant.
Response from BDPO Nabha
When questioned, Nabha BDPO JS Dhillon said he has joined recently but assured that he will look into the matter.
