By IANS
New Delhi : The Central Information Commission (CIC) has warned the government that anyone seeking information under the Right to Information Act must not be victimised or penalised.
“The commission makes a strong recommendation to the concerned authorities to ensure that people seeking information are not victimised or penalised for utilizing or taking recourse to a piece of legislation which has the sanctity of the parliament,” said a CIC bench, headed by Information Commissioner O.P. Kejriwal.
The bench issued the warning Sep 11 to the union ministry of urban development government, while disposing of a complaint by Delhi resident Harish Tripathi.
Tripathi, a member of Delhi’s prestigious Gymkhana Club for over 40 years, had approached the Land and Development Office under the Ministry of Urban Development on Nov 30 last year, seeking information on the amount of misuse and various other damage charges to be paid by the Delhi Gymkhana Club Limited from July 15, 2004.
Tripathi told the CIC bench that instead of getting the requisite information from the ministry, his membership was suspended by the club.
It was this complaint by Tripathi that prompted Kejriwal to issue the warning to the government.
He also cautioned the prestigious club that such acts of victimization of their members would lead to erosion of its own prestige.
Kejriwal observed, “By doing so, they (Delhi Gymkhana Club) would only be bringing a bad name to an organisation which otherwise enjoys a good reputation.”
Kejariwal, who directed the ministry to allow Tripathi to inspect the relevant records pertaining to the club’s correspondence with the office, also issued a show cause notice seeking reasons for the delay of nearly three months in giving him the requisite information.