GHMC PIO fails to give information to RTI applicant



Hyderabad: Ignoring the orders of the State Information Commissioner (SIC) to provide reply to an RTI applicant, a Public Information Officer (PIO) of GHMC has not furnished information even after receiving a show-cause notice. The SIC said that action will be taken against the PIO. Kareem Ansari, a research associate and RTI activist from Hyderabad, had filed an RTI application in March 2015 with GHMC South Zone. Mr Kareem had requested the GHMC to furnish reasons for the non-inclusion of his sister-in-law’s name in the voters list for MLC elections. Mr Kareem says that he had submitted the application on time and also got an acknowledgment for it. He added that when he couldn’t obtain a reply from the GHMC PIO he filed an appeal with the GHMC appellate authority, but in vain. “It was sheer mismanagement by officials. When I met them to know the reasons they said the file was lost. I filed a second appeal, but the GHMC PIO hasn’t provided information even though a month has passed after the deadline. I gave the order copy of the second appeal to the PIO personally,” Mr Kareem said. In the order dated August 18 SIC Varre Venkatesh-warlu had said, “The refusal of the GHMC PIO has been noted by the commission. The commission directs the PIO to furnish all the information demanded by the applicant free of cost within 15 days.” “Whatever the reason I want it sent to me,” Mr Kareem said. “I had issued a show-cause notice 40 days ago. Now, action will be initiated depending on the reply,” he added.