----------------------------------------------------------------- Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help others be BETTER INFORMED, The time is come for the people of Goa to ORGANISE not AGONISE !! ---------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre (GDRC) Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- GSIC pulls up police over RTI Act violation --------------------------------------------- Police Department is either unaware of procedures under the Right to Information (RTI) Act or is deliberately misleading citizens, observed Goa State Information Commission (GSIC) in its order
One Joao Pereira of Utorda had filed a complaint against the police authorities stating he was denied certain information applied under the RTI Act. When he approached Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Police Department for information, he was told to approach Appellate Public Information Officer (APIO). His plea was rejected by APIO. Calling this behaviour of police authorities as highly irregular, GSIC comprising the State Chief Information Commissioner, A Venkatratnam and the State Information Commissioner, G G Kambli has made it clear that APIO is not an authority either to give information or to refuse the information. The Commission which has received similar complaints against the police department has therefore, directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to issue and circulate instructions about the exact role and responsibilities of APIOs under the RTI, Act within one week from the date of the order. On November 10, 2005 Pereira had complaint against Arvind Gawas, Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) to the chief secretary, following which chief secretary through home secretary wrote a letter to the office of the DGP for inquiry and report. The complainant believed that the respondent SP prepared his own report for submission to the government and applied to the PIO to give him a copy of the report forwarded to the government by DGP's office. He also sought name and designation of the officer who had prepared that report. Interestingly, SP (headquarters) is also the PIO. When the complainant approached PIO, he was directed to go to APIO for his information and his request was rejected under section 8 (j) of the RTI Act. Complainant submitted that he approached PIO on at least three occasions however details requested were not given to him. While on appeal before DIG - appellate authority under the RTI Act, he was told that requested copies of the reports were issued to him. He was further informed that enquiry was conducted by S P South- based on whose report SP headquarters submitted reports to the government. On his second appeal the appellant authority however made it cleat that it was not obligatory for him to reveal the details sought under section 8 (j) of the RTI Act. Hearing on this complaint, Information Commission has directed the PIO to issue the copy of the report submitted by him to the government within one week from the date of the order specifically mentioning whether he had personally prepared the report or only forwarded the report of the SP, South Goa. -------------------------- HERALD 9/9/06 page 2 --------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK ----------------------------------------------------------- promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa ----------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao, Goa 403 601 GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507 mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
