RTI Act: Penalties

The Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI) provides for penalties for non-compliance with the Act. The penalties that can be imposed are:

  • Fine: The Central Information Commission (CIC) or the State Information Commission (SIC) can impose a fine of up to Rs. 2500 for not complying with the RTI Act.
  • Imprisonment: The CIC or the SIC can also impose imprisonment of up to three months for not complying with the RTI Act.

The penalties can be imposed on the following persons:

  • The Public Information Officer (PIO)
  • The appellate authority
  • The head of the public authority
  • Any other person who is responsible for the non-compliance with the RTI Act.

The penalties can be imposed if the following acts are committed:

  • The PIO refuses to provide the information requested.
  • The PIO delays in providing the information requested.
  • The PIO provides incorrect or misleading information.
  • The PIO charges an excessive fee for providing the information.
  • The PIO obstructs the applicant in getting the information.

MCQs on RTI Act: Penalties

Here are some MCQs on the topic of RTI Act: Penalties:

  1. What are the penalties that can be imposed for non-compliance with the RTI Act?
    • Fine
    • Imprisonment
    • Both fine and imprisonment
    • None of the above
  2. Who can impose the penalties?
    • The Central Information Commission (CIC)
    • The State Information Commission (SIC)
    • The court
    • All of the above
  3. What are the acts for which the penalties can be imposed?
    • Refusal to provide information
    • Delay in providing information
    • Providing incorrect or misleading information
    • All of the above

Answers to the MCQs:

  1. The answer is (c). Fine and imprisonment can be imposed for non-compliance with the RTI Act.
  2. The answer is (a). The CIC or the SIC can impose the penalties.
  3. The answer is (d). The penalties can be imposed for any of the acts mentioned above.