Team Herald
PANJIM: The State Information Commission (SIC) has imposed the maximum penalty of Rs 25,000 on Ashish Rege, the former Principal of Goa College of Architecture, for failing to provide information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
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Rege’s failure to address an appeal filed by applicant John Nazareth, former president of the Goa Government Employees Association (GGEA), has led to this severe penalty. Nazareth had filed an RTI request on May 11, 2023, seeking information from the Public Information Officer (PIO), Roy C. D’Souza, of the college. The applicant made the required payment and received part of the information, but was informed that some details were not available with the PIO. He was advised to file an appeal before the first appellate authority (FAA).
On June 30, 2023, Nazareth submitted an appeal to Rege in his capacity as the FAA. However, Rege failed to attend any of the appeal hearings, with the exception of a single appearance on December 21, 2023. Despite repeated notices, Rege wrote to the SIC on October 29, 2024, claiming that he had retired in March 2024 and should be removed from the list of respondents.
In the meantime, Edlina Maria Da Silva, the junior stenographer/PA to the principal, who was also named as a respondent, submitted written arguments stating that she did not have the keys to the cupboards in the principal’s office. She held Rege solely responsible for failing to provide the information and obstructing her from carrying out her duties in relation to the RTI request.
SIC Atmaram Barve concluded that there had been intentional non-disclosure of the requested information. The PIO had made efforts to collect the missing details, but the SIC suggested that there may have been collusion between Rege and his PA, which appeared to be deliberate and malicious.
SIC Barve criticised Rege’s conduct, noting the failure to disclose information, the withholding of keys as alleged by his PA, and his lack of participation in the appeal process. The Commission described Rege’s actions as a “clear case of mischief,” noting that his subsequent claim of retirement was a transparent attempt to avoid accountability.
In addition to imposing a Rs 25,000 penalty on Rege, the Commission ordered the PIO to provide the remaining information to Nazareth free of charge by January 7, 2025. The PIO must also submit a compliance report to the SIC by January 9, 2025.
The Commission has further directed the Directorate of Technical Education to review the appointment of PIOs, Assistant PIOs (APIOs), and First Appellate Authorities (FAAs) for educational institutions under its jurisdiction, as the principal’s dual role as FAA in this case could potentially lead to a conflict of interest.
