A case where a Thane RTO PIO had ordered an RTI applicant to fork over a whopping Rs55.44 lakh pertaining to auto-rickshaw permits was overturned by the chief information commissioner, Ratnakar Gaikwad and he ordered the state transport commissioner to disclose information
The chief information commissioner (CIC), Ratnakar Gaikwad, overturned Thane Regional Transport Office (RTO) public information officer (PIO) decision to make RTI applicant pay Rs55.44 lakh and has ordered the state transport commissioner to provide the computerised information regarding auto-rickshaw permits free of cost on a CD to RTI applicant & activist Anil Mahadik. The order further said that the RTI applicant should be allowed to inspect the non-computerised data and up to 1,000 pages can be given at free of cost by registered post/personally given till 12 February 2014.
The chief information commissioner (CIC), Ratnakar Gaikwad, overturned Thane Regional Transport Office (RTO) public information officer (PIO) decision to make RTI applicant pay Rs55.44 lakh and has ordered the state transport commissioner to provide the computerised information regarding auto-rickshaw permits free of cost on a CD to RTI applicant & activist Anil Mahadik. The order further said that the RTI applicant should be allowed to inspect the non-computerised data and up to 1,000 pages can be given at free of cost by registered post/personally given till 12 February 2014.
Earlier, Anil Mahadik had filed an application on November 18, seeking details of auto-rickshaw permits, believing there could be malpractices within. RTI activist, Anil Mahadik, was told by the state transport commissioner that there were 73,993 registered auto-rickshaws and 36,887 auto-rickshaw permits, and that he had to pay Rs50 per permit and the same amount per registered auto-rickshaw. Therefore, the total amount comes to Rs55.44 lakh [(73,993 * 50) + (36,887 * 50) = Rs55.44 lakh].
However, he was stone-walled when the public information officer blocked his request by asking him to fork over a fee of Rs54.44 lakh! Even the first appellate authority upheld the PIO’s ruling. Anil then filed a complaint against the chief information commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad about this episode. Along with Bhaskar Prabhu, Anil Mahadik successfully made their case to the CIC. It was decided to rule in favour of Mr Anil Mahadik, that information pertaining to auto-rickshaw permits should be displayed suo moto on the website as per provisions of Section 4 (1) (b) of the Right to Information Act. The same must be done before 28th February. The CIC called the PIO attitude "irresponsible behaviour and lack of knowledge of the law"
Shailesh Gandhi applauded this ruling and said, “I congratulate Anil Mahadik, Bhaskar Prabhu and Mr Ratnkar Gaikwad for this order. Suo moto disclosures under Section 4 of the RTI Act of most information, sought by citizens, are the way to take transparency and accountability forward.”
Below is the attached order in Marathi.
