Srinagar, Dec 22 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir StateInformation Commission (SIC) has initiated penalty proceedingsagainst public information officers in more than 25 cases fordelaying in responding to appeals and complaints, an officialspokesman said.
The proceedings have been initiated under Section 17 ofthe Jammu and Kashmir RTI Act, 2009, the spokesman said.
He said the SIC can impose a penalty on the PIOs at therate of Rs 250 per day of delay beyond 30 days after the RTIapplication was filed, subject to a maximum of Rs 25,000.
The SIC is also empowered to recommend disciplinaryactions against the PIOs.
Since March this year, the SIC has held more than 600hearings in Srinagar and Jammu, and through video links withappellants, complainants, PIOs and first appellate authoritiesfrom Kargil, Poonch, Udhampur, Doda and Kishtwar, thespokesman said.
The SIC has cleared more than 225 appeals and complaintsbetween March and November this year, he added. PTI MIJABH.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.