Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 05 2010:
The Chief Information Commissioner, Manipur has directed the Secretariat, Education Department (Schools), Government of Manipur, to pay a compensation of Rs 1,00,000 (Rupess One lakh) to Bidyabati Laishram of Wangkhei Palace Compound for the failure to provide her with information she had sought under RTI.
Bidyapati Laishram, one of the candidates of the Science Graduate Teachers (General) had filed an application under RTI on May 9 2007 seeking the marks obtained by the last candidate in the select list of the same exam in the written test and viva voice conducted by the directorate of Education (Schools) Government of Manipur in the year 2006 .
The Chief Information Commissioner had in a order dated September, 2007, directed the Additional Director of Education (Schools), valley, Government of Manipur, to furnish the information within 7 days from the date of announcement of the order.
But till date the information remains unfurnished.
Taking note of this, the Chief Information Commissioner, in his order passed on January 21, 2010, observed, "...the information is still remaining unfurnished, over a period of about three years, which is quite unusual and ridiculous".
The Commission also recommended "disciplinary action against the responsible officer/officers for termination from their services with immediate effect under the Service rules applicable to each of them under section 20 (2) of the R.T.I.Act, 2005" .
The order further states that the Government of Manipur, Department of School Education, Government of Manipur Imphal should complete the fixing of responsibility for the missing documents within fifteen days from the receipt of this order, failing which the S.P.I.O, in this case the Additional Director of Education (Schools), Government of Manipur, will be held responsible.