Passport officer denies information; gets RTI slap

The central information commission has ordered the external affairs ministry to take action against a Delhi regional passport officer for denying information pertaining to a Right to Information application.

"The commission directs the joint secretary (consular of passport and visa), MEA, to take necessary administrative action against the public information officer (PIO) and regional passport officer (RPO), Delhi immediately," Information Commissioner O P Kejariwal said in a recent order.

The CIC, which was hearing the RTI appeal of one Uma Jayaram, expressed its anguish over the 'apathetic attitude' of RPO Gloria Kumar, who in an earlier order was penalised with Rs 16,000 for failing to provide information on time.

"This is yet another case where the commission observed that there was near complete disorder in the office of PIO and RPO, Delhi," it said.

Uma in her RTI application filed in July last year, had sought certain information relating to the renewal of her son's passport. Failing to get a response from the passport office within 30 days, she approached the commission, which issued a show cause notice to the erring RPO seeking explanation for the delay.

The commission, which did not receive an appropriate reply to its show cause notice, expressed discontent over the RPO's inadequate explanation. The RPO had taken a plea before the commission that application seeking information had reached his office after

12 days and was marked to officers for necessary action who failed to conform to their duties.