‘Information delayed is information denied’

Our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, May 16: “The Right to Information is a fundamental right of every citizen of the country and the Right to Information Act, 2005 was enacted in India for the people of the country and for the welfare of the country and information delayed is information denied,” said Chief Information Commissioner of Assam, Himagshu Shekhar Das while taking part in a workshop on RTI in the DC’s conference hall here on Tuesday afternoon.

“Though the RTI Act has been enacted in India in 2005 and officially implemented in Assam on April of 2006, the RTI concept is originated with the French Revolution in 1789 as the citizens of France wanted to know information on the lavish lifestyle of the king,” added the visiting State Information Commissioner. Taking part in the workshop he also expressed deep concern over government’s decision to exempt the CID and BI (EO) wing of Assam Police from the purview of the RTI Act and described it as a violation to the provision of the RTI Act.

Explaining certain provisions of the RTI Act, he said that all private institutions also fall under the RTI Act and in this regard the information seekers can get their information through the Deputy Commissioner or the Head of the Department concerned.

Former Deputy Commissioner and Consultant of State Information Commission Jatindra Lahkar said that the PIOs were responsible for any lapse in providing the required information to the applicant. Darrang Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Barman also addressed the workshop while Additional Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Chakravarty offered a hearty welcome to the Chief Information Commissioner on his first visit to the district.