The Tamil Nadu Information Commission has imposed a maximum penalty of ₹25,000 on the Public Information Officer/Assistant Revenue Officer, Greater Chennai Corporation, for not sharing information sought under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
The case relates to a petition filed by R. Natarajan, a research scholar of Chennai, who sought property documents relating to the Sai Baba temple in Mylapore. In his petition filed four years ago, he wanted copies of the building plan, documents pertaining to assessment of property tax, the area of actual construction of the building, whether any poromboke land was annexed to the temple and so on.
Not satisfied with the replies of the PIO and the First Appellate Authority, the petitioner moved the TNIC. “Despite specific orders, the PIOs did not share the information relating to the land on which the Sai Baba temple has been constructed in Mylapore,” Mr. Natarajan said.
Noting that the information called for by the petitioner was not provided, the State Information Commissioner K. Murugan sought an explanation from PIO/ARO (Zone-8) P. Joseph Thangarajan and PIO/ARP (Zone-13) P. Tamil as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them for not complying with the orders of the commission.
Rejecting the explanation of Mr. Thangarajan, the TNIC imposed a penalty of ₹25,000 to be deducted from his salary and directed the Corporation Commissioner to take disciplinary action against the official under the provisions of the Act. The State Information Commissioner recommended disciplinary action to be initiated against Mr. Tamil.
