Failing to give information or reply to a RTI query is "deficiency in service", a consumer forum here has held, while directing the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to pay compensation to the applicant.
The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, however, did not direct the agency to provide the information sought by the applicany saying such an order can be given only by the appellate authority under the RTI Act.
The forum, in an ex-parte order held the MCD guilty of deficiency in service for not replying or providing the information sought through an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act despite taking the fee and asked it to pay compensation of Rs 2,000 to Delhi resident Nikhlesh Jain .
"The non-supply of information or reply is certainly a deficiency in service, through direction to furnish information can be given only by Appellate Authority under RTI Act. The complainant sought the service by paying prescribed fee, for which he got no service.
"We hold opposite party (MCD) guilty of deficiency of service and award a compensation for harassment and litigation of Rs 2,000 on concerned Corporation, as this remedy under Consumer Act, is in addition for any other remedy under any other Act," a bench presided by C K Chaturvedi said.
The order came on the complaint filed by Jain who had said that he had sought information under RTI Act from MCD in respect of one Praveen Jain in pursuance of a Supreme Court judgement in the case of MCD vs Praveen Kumar Jain.
He had alleged that neither did he receive any response nor the information sought from the MCD within the prescribed period of 30 days.
