CPIO ignores FAA’s order, sought information not provided to information seeker
“Applicant may be asked to collect documents from Urban Local Bodies Department, Officer in question advises CPIO instead of providing the Information”
Abhishek Ghai
Certainly, the CPIO Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Establishment Section (Assistant Secretary) Surinder Kumar disregarding his mandate so far, has tried hard to conceal the information, sought under RTI Act 2005, regarding appointment and promotions given to Executive Engineer (XEn) Projects JMC, Mr Firdous Ahmed Qazi. The CPIO was requested to provide certified copies of appointment letter and promotions given to Mr Firdous Ahmed Qazi, Executive Engineer, who recently has posted the JMC. In his earlier reply, the CPIO told the information seeker, that the officer was on deputation so the desired information can be directly obtained from his parent department i.e. Public Works (R&B) Department.
The applicant challenged CPIO’s response before the First Appellate Authority, Joint Commissioner (Adm) and latter also admitted the error in CPIO’s response. Listening both side during a hearing held on April 16, 2022, the FAA directed the CPIO to provide information to the applicant. On May 9, 2022 the FAA passed an order asking the CPIO to provide the reply to the applicant.
But the CPIO on 14/05/2022 vide no. JMC/Estt/1207-09 informed that the applicant that “the said officer was asked vide this office no JMC/Estt/1367072 dated 26/03/2022 to make available the certified copy sought by the applicant under RTI Act 2005, but in response to this said letter officer has communicated vide his office communication JMC/PD/22-23/Tech/03-04 dated, 01/04/2022 that the applicant may be asked to collect these documents from my parent department i.e. Urban Local Bodies Jammu.”
Contrary to the fact that officer has repatriated by the Housing and Urban Development department to JMC for his encodement, the CPIO sent same copy to the applicant. It is pertinent to mention here that a representation of Mr Firdous Ahmed Qazi for his promotion as Superintending Engineer was forwarded Assistant Secretary, Establishment Section through Joint Commissioner (Adm) who is also FAA, dated 16/04/2022, vide no JMC/Estt/S/74-74, dated 23/04/2022 had requested to Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department for promotion/placement of Mr Qazi as I/C Superintending Engineer.
A layman knows that the without complete service record DPC does not consider any recommendation and entire service recording from his joining to till date submitted to the administrative department, but same is being denied to the information seeker, it clearly speaks that the JMC, especially, the CPIO is concealing something.
