Imphal, February 06: Failing to provide information sought by Tribal Vigilance Forum, Manipur, (TVFM) under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, 2005, the Manipur Information Commissioner has directed the Manipur Development Society (MDS), the Department from which the information was sought, to furnish the required information to the complainant, within fifteen days from January 14 under the provision of RTI Act, according to the Tribal Vigilance Forum members.

Manipur Information Commissioner, RK Angousana has directed the SPIO of MDS to provide the information sought by the TVFM regarding the fund details received/deposited by the State Govt for execution of infrastructure development of the state for the period 2004 till date, and informed the SPIO to submit a show cause why the penalty as prescribed under section 20 of the RTI Act and why disciplinary action should not be imposed on him for failing to furnish the information within the stipulated time under RTI Act, added the tribal activists.

TVFM secretary, AS John had filed to the Manipur Information Commission on the refusal of the SPIO of MDS to provide information sought under the provisions of RTI Act, 2005 .

The TVFM secretary had submitted an application on April 27, 2007 to the project director, MDS Imphal under the Act requesting to furnish information regarding number of works executed at the hill districts and valley showing the amount specified for the works and locations, number of works still in progress in hill districts and valley, sanctioned order copies for different yeara, and work program of the current year.

Having failed to get any response from the project director of MDS within the stipulated period under the RTI Act, the complainant had filed an application to the Manipur Information Commission.

In a missive issued by the state Information Commissioner to this effect, of which a copy was made available to NNN by the TVFM members on Wednesday, the Information Officer stated that, comment of the MDS authority has been sought by the Commission on July 17 last year, but no reply had come forth.

Thereafter, the case was taken up as a complaint case under section 18 of the RTI Act.

The Commission had issued notices for objection twice in August, once each in September, October, and November and also a hearing on December 11, wherein the respondent did not turn up.

The case was heard on December 11 ex-parte.

The information sought by the complainant is not prohibited under the RTI Act, 2005 .

Hence there is no difficulty in providing it to the complainant, added the missive.

The Information Commission also decided that the appellant can approach the commission again in case of any grievances within three weeks from the date of the issuance of the order.

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