Imphal, February 14:
According to a press release issued by the Human laws network, the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench has directed the Principal Secretary, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj to pay a compensation of Rs. 10,000 (Rupees Ten Thousand Only ) in compliance with the order of the Chief Information Commissioner dated 7.9.2011 passed in Appeal Case No. 67 of 2009 to Km. Takhellambam Demona Chanu, an RTI applicant, within one month.
Km. Takhellambam Demona Chanu approaching the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench had earlier filed an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 to the State Public Information Officer for obtaining certain information pertaining to the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Scheme, Manipur at Uchekon Nongpok Gram Panchayat. However the concerned State Public Information Officer failed to furnish the requested information within the stipulated time incorporated in the Right to Information Act, 2005.
Subsequently, being dissatisfied with the unbecoming attitude of the State Public Information Officer, she again initiated for obtaining the desired information by filing a First Appeal against the ill conduct of the said State Public Information Officer to the First Appellate Authority. Despite such effort, she could not obtain the desired information and later filed a Second Appeal before the Manipur Information Commission.
Consequently, the Manipur Information Commission having relied on the material on record found that the applicant had suffered due to the unjustified action of the Public authority i.e. Secretariat Rural Development Department, Government of Manipur and as such the Manipur Information Commission in its decision/order dated 7lh September 2009 had directed the said Public Authority to pay a compensation of Rs. 10,000/- to Km. Demona Chanu within 15 days from the date of the order.
However, the said public Authority further failed to comply with the order of the Manipur Information Commission which in turn had impliedly decline to compensate the Appellant. Thereafter, she filed a Writ Petition being Writ Petition (C) No. 649 of 2012 in the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench. Consequently, after hearing the submission of Mr. Laimayum Sevananda Sharma, the counsel for the Petitioner said that the applicant must be paid a compensation.