The Haryana State Information Commission has taken decisive action against officials from the state's labour department for their failure to provide information under the Right to Information Act. This development highlights ongoing challenges in transparency and accountability within government departments.
Official Notice Served to Labour Department
The State Information Commissioner, Urvashi Gulati, has issued a formal show-cause notice to the State Labour Commissioner and the Public Information Officer of the department. The notice demands an explanation for why disciplinary action should not be recommended against them for their failure to provide information sought through an RTI application.
This action comes after a serious lapse in responding to an information request filed by RTI activist Harinder Dhingra. The case has been ongoing, with the commission previously directing the officials to provide the required information, but compliance remained incomplete.
Background of the Case
The controversy stems from an RTI application filed by Dhingra seeking specific information from the labour department. When the department failed to provide satisfactory responses, the matter was escalated to the State Information Commission. The commission had previously set a deadline of July 9 for compliance, but officials failed to meet this deadline adequately.
During the recent hearing on July 16, the Public Information Officer appeared before the commission but could not provide a satisfactory explanation for the non-compliance. This led to the current show-cause notice being issued against both the PIO and the Labour Commissioner.
Potential Consequences and Next Steps
The show-cause notice represents a significant step in enforcing accountability under the RTI Act. Officials now have until August 13 to respond to the notice and show cause why action should not be taken against them. Failure to provide adequate justification could lead to disciplinary proceedings.
This case underscores the importance of the RTI Act in promoting transparency in government functioning. It also serves as a reminder to all public authorities about their legal obligations to provide information to citizens in a timely manner.
The Haryana State Information Commission has demonstrated its commitment to upholding the right to information by taking this firm stance against non-compliant officials. The outcome of this case could set an important precedent for how similar cases are handled in the future.
