Acting on Twitter complaint, MP Info Commissioner issues show-cause notices to 2 govt officers

In a rare instance, Madhya Pradesh Information Commissioner Rahul Singh has issued show-cause notices to two officers of the state water resource department for allegedly violating provisions of the RTI Act, on the basis of a complaint made through micro-blogging site Twitter.

Rewa-based Manoj Kumar Dubey had in September filed an RTI application with the department's office at Ganga Kachar seeking details of the work being done by it in the Govindgarh area, besides details of employees posted there.

The department last month sent a letter to him seeking a payment of Rs 2, through a challan by State Bank of India by November 7, as the fee towards getting the information from Upper Purwa Canal Division, according to an official order.

When the applicant visited the office to pay the fee in cash, which is applicable as per the provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the officers concerned refused to accept it.

The officers present in the office were not cooperative and instead of helping him, they tried to avoid their duty and did not accept the cash payment.

Aggrieved over their behaviour, Dubey wrote to Information Commissioner Singh complaining the alleged behaviour of the officers.

Acting promptly, Singh asked his office to register the grievance and heard the matter.

He issued show-cause notices to public information officer in the office of chief engineer, Ganga Kachar and deemed public information officer in the office of executive engineer, Upper Purwa Canal Division, as to why action should not be taken against them for dereliction of duty, said the order.

The notice has asked them to give their response as to why they should not be penalised with Rs 7,500 each besides initiation of disciplinary proceedings for "grave negligence" by not following their duty.

The commission has asked both the officers to appear before it personally on December 23 in the matter.

Singh also asked the chief engineer, Ganga Kachar, Rewa to ensure compensation of Rs 2,000 to Dubey.