The Punjab State Information Commission has declined to disclose data regarding its pending cases and penalties imposed on erring officials under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Responding to an application filed by Nabha resident Gurpreet Singh, the commission cited the non-availability of compiled records as the reason for refusal.
RTI Applicant Sought Backlog and Penalty Details
Gurpreet Singh had requested details on cases pending for over six months as well as the number of officials penalized for withholding information during that period. Information officer Sudhir Kumar stated that the commission is not obligated to create or compile data that does not already exist in a ready format, citing a Supreme Court judgment in support of this stance.
Applicant Challenges Commission's Response
The applicant has challenged this response, arguing that since the registrar's office tracks incoming and disposed cases, the backlog data is easily extractable. He further contended that records of penalties are routinely sent to departments and should be accessible through correspondence. Singh also alleged that the commission's failure to impose strict penalties encourages officials to ignore hearings. Describing the RTI process as cumbersome, he claimed it causes repeated adjournments and prolonged delays.
Awaiting Appellate Authority's Decision
The appellate authority's decision is expected to clarify whether the commission is required to compile such public information for the sake of transparency. This case highlights ongoing challenges in accessing government data under the RTI Act.
