What happened: The Gujarat State Information Commission has fined the Nadiad deputy collector and Public Information Officer (PIO) Nirbhay Gondaliya ₹5,000 for failing to provide information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act within the legally mandated timeframe.
Why the fine: An applicant, Hemant Patel, had filed an RTI on April 21, 2025 requesting a copy of a government order. Despite statutory timelines (30 days) and a subsequent appeal order to provide the information, it was not supplied on time and the officer instead asked the applicant to visit the office to collect documents. The Information Commission ruled that this amounted to intentional delay and was contrary to the RTI Act’s spirit.
Commission’s remarks: During the hearing, the officer’s explanation consisted only of the word “SORRY”, which the commission said didn’t justify the delay or the failure to follow the appellate authority’s order.
Penalty order: The commission directed the officer to deposit ₹5,000 within seven days or face deduction from salary. The collector of Kheda district was asked to report compliance by December 10.