Karnataka Information Commission slaps Rs 1.2 lakh penalty on two Bengaluru officials for RTI violations

Bengaluru: Cracking the whip over violations of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) has imposed hefty penalties on two senior officials of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for failing to furnish information sought by citizens, underscoring the importance of transparency and accountability in public offices. Umesh, deputy secretary at BDA, has been fined Rs 1 lakh in four separate cases for neglecting to respond to RTI applications, while secretary CL Shivakumar has been fined Rs 25,000.

KIC, while hearing multiple appeals, found that the officials failed to comply with provisions of the RTI Act despite repeated opportunities. The Act allows the commission to penalise those who deliberately deny or delay information. All public authorities are required to proactively disclose key information about their functioning under Section 4 of the law and regularly update it on their official websites. The Supreme Court has also emphasised strict implementation of Section 4(1)(a) and Section 4(1)(b), directing govt departments to ensure transparency by periodically publishing such information. However, the commission noted that even two decades after the RTI Act came into force, several public authorities continue to ignore these mandatory provisions.


In the case involving Umesh, four applicants — Takshak, Tanvita Gaur, Ashwija P, and Balachandra Rao — had sought information under Section 4 of the RTI Act from the deputy secretary's office. When their requests went unanswered, they appealed to KIC. Despite a show-cause notice issued by the commission, Umesh allegedly failed to provide the information. Taking serious note of the lapse, the commission imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 in each of the four cases, taking the total to Rs 1 lakh. It also issued a notice asking why disciplinary action should not be recommended against him.

In the final case, RTI applicant Suresh Chandra Babu had sought from Shivakumar a copy of the govt order related to the jurisdiction of additional land acquisition officers. When the request was ignored, the applicant approached KIC. After an inquiry, the commission fined Shivakumar Rs 25,000 and warned that disciplinary action could be recommended if the requested documents are not furnished immediately.