RTI office exists no more here
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 19 2014 : Not only is the Government of Manipur unable to fill the vacant posts of Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and State Information Commissioner (SIC) but the CIC and SIC office rooms at Secretariat New Block are being utilised as offices of another department.

With the CIC and SIC offices, technically no more in existence complaints as well as information sought by the public under the Right to Information (RTI) Act are unlikely to materialise into meaningful outcome, opined an official source.

It is said that despite service superannuation of the CIC and SIC about a year back the Department of Administrative Reforms has not initiated necessary official procedure to appoint/nominate new incumbents for the said posts.

Under the stewardship of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to ensure administrative transparency the RTI was launched some years back and the State in compliance with the PM's initiative established the CIC and SIC office rooms at Secretariat new Block to entertain complaints or provide information sought by RTI petitioners.

Till some months back the office rooms remained unoccupied following retirement of the CIC and SIC.

But recently the same rooms have been utilised as office chambers of the Manipur Pollution Control Board Chairman and other officials.

Consequently office materials from the CIC and SIC rooms such as computers and furniture items, including almirah, have been relocated to the office of RTI Deputy Registrar thus transforming the latter's room into a store rooms.

Presently petitions are being submitted to the RTI Secretary but due to absence of both CIC and SIC complaints or information are unlikely to yield any positive result.

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