RTI Act in Braille presented to Information Commissions

Chandigarh, Sep 12 (UNI) Alleging that the State information commissions are not imposing a penalty on the defaulting Public Information Officers as mandated under the RTI Act, the civil rights activists today presented a copy of the RTI Act in ''Braille'' to Punjab and Haryana Information Commissions ''so that they can have a relook at the Act.'' Social activist Hemant Goswami said it was very unfortunate that the commissions were not following the RTI Act in its letter and spirit and were overlooking many important provisions of the Act.

The State Government was bound to prepare a guide in the official language of the region as required under section 26 of the RTI Act within 18 months of the enactment. However, the process of preparing such a guide has not been initiated even after 27 months of the RTI Act coming into force.

Mr Hitender Jain said the commission was also overlooking the provisions of imposing penalty and acting against the spirit of the RTI Act.

''May be the commission can read it in Braille if the official language could not make them understand what the Act mandates,'' he quipped.

''If the RTI Act has been published even in Braille, and is distributed to the public at a very subsidised cost then what excuse does the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal have for not publishing the Act and guide in the official language of the state and distribute it to the public at subsidised costs?'' Mr Goswami wondered.

UNI