Show-cause issued to Layyah DC over violation of RTI Act

LAHORE: The Punjab Information Commission has issued show-cause notice to Layyah deputy commissioner and directed him to submit explanation on January 10, 2022 for not implementing the Right To Information (RTI) Act 2013 and violating the Commission orders.

Chief Commissioner Mahboob Qadir Shah remarked while hearing the Nadeem Anjum Vs. Deputy Commissioner case that eight years had passed after enactment of the RTI Act, but the Layyah deputy commissioner failed to appoint public information officer in his office to implement the law and resolve the public complaints.

The chief commissioner said in his order that the Layyah DC had been requested by the applicant to provide all details of land specified for Hindu community in the district, details of Hindu temples, illegal occupation of lands allocated for Hindu graveyards, and details of occupants. However, the DC Layyah failed to comply with an order issued in this regard by the Punjab Information Commission on Dec 9, 2021.

The chief commissioner said the case involved the rights of a minority community and Commission wanted implementation of its orders positively. The order said non-submission of reply on the part of the DC Layyah despite passage of 20 days was a sheer violation of the RTI Act.