16-05-2025
Failure to provide timely info under RTI Act will invite penal action: SIC
State Information Commissioner (SIC) K.M. Dileep has warned that failure to provide timely information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act will invite penal action.
He was speaking at a hearing held by the Information Commission here on Friday. He pointed to a growing trend of unnecessarily delaying appeals and said this needed to be addressed.
'Unacceptable'
The SIC made it clear that responses such as 'information not available' were not acceptable and reiterated that the responsibility to maintain and provide information rested with the head of the office concerned. Repeated lapses would not be tolerated, he said.
The hearing, held at the Ramanilayam Government Guest House, considered 38 complaints, of which 33 were resolved and five were deferred for further review. Complaints concerned departments, including Health, Agriculture, Local Self-Governments, Police, and Devaswom.