Team Herald

PANJIM: The Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Prashant Tendolkar on Monday allowed a complaint filed by Advocate Aires Rodrigues over the non-compliance of the Right to Information Act by the Goa Raj Bhavan. 

In his order, the CIC has granted Rodrigues’ plea that the Raj Bhavan forthwith appoint a Public Information Officer and make the mandatory disclosures under Section 4 (1) of the RTI Act as required by law.

In the complaint filed under Section 18 (1) (a) of the RTI Act,  Rodrigues had drawn the attention of the Commission that despite being a “Public Authority’ in terms of Section 2 (h) of the RTI Act, the Raj Bhavan had not appointed a Public Information Officer. 

 “Raj Bhavan is covered under the definition of Public Authority and the failure to appoint a PIO was illegal, very high-handed, malafide and without reasonable cause,” he had said in the complaint to the CIC. 

The then CIC Motilal Keny on March 31, 2011 had ruled that the Goa Governor was a “Public Authority” and hence was covered in the ambit of the RTI Act. 

Dismissing Raj Bhavan appeal, the HC on Nov 14, 2011 ruled that the Governor of Goa was a Public Authority and was bound to furnish information sought under the RTI Act.