Chikkamagaluru
The Karnataka Information Commission, established on October 12, 2005, has played a pivotal role in bringing transparency and accountability to governance, stated State Information Commissioner Dr. Harish Kumar.
He shared these views while addressing a district and taluk-level awareness workshop and interactive session on the Right to Information Act-2005, organized by the district administration and zilla panchayat. The event took place today at Abdul Nazir Sab Hall in the zilla panchayat premises in Chikkamagaluru, targeting officers and gram panchayat development officers.
Public information officers must possess a thorough understanding of the RTI Act and general awareness. Applications seeking information should be examined as per rules and responded to based on relevant sections of the law.
Over the last ten years, delays in providing information, incomplete responses, and other violations have resulted in fines totaling around Rs. 10 crore imposed on government officials and deposited with the commission. Therefore, officers should ensure replies within stipulated timelines, he advised.
Applications under the RTI Act must be disposed of within 30 days of receipt. Requests concerning government employment or facilities warrant disclosure. Details like an officer’s name and designation, being public records, should be shared.However, information related to ongoing investigations—where final reports are pending or confirmation from concerned authorities is absent—cannot be revealed.
Officers need basic knowledge of the law and related statutes.Even though the RTI Act came into force in 2005, it applies to records from the previous 20 years. Numerous directives from high courts and the Supreme Court over these two decades have strengthened its implementation and scope, he noted.
Fellow Commissioner Badruddin K. emphasized that officers must scrutinize applications lawfully and dispose of them accordingly. Expressing hope that the district achieves top rank in RTI compliance, he cautioned careful handling of personal details, such as CCTV footage, final charge sheets, or case counts against individuals, by correctly interpreting relevant sections.Public information officers should clearly distinguish between disclosable and exempt information, he concluded.
