Here are some notes on the penalties under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) in detail:
- Section 20 of the RTI Act provides for penalties for non-compliance with the Act.
- The penalties include:
- A fine of Rs. 250 per day for the first 20 days, and Rs. 500 per day thereafter, for not providing the information.
- A fine of Rs. 2500 for knowingly giving false information.
- A fine of Rs. 2500 for destroying, mutilating, altering, or withholding information.
The penalties can be imposed by the Information Commission on the Public Information Officer (PIO) or the head of the public authority, as the case may be.
The Information Commission can also order the PIO or the head of the public authority to pay compensation to the requester for the loss or damage caused by the non-compliance.
The penalties under the RTI Act are intended to deter non-compliance with the Act and to ensure that the right to information is effectively implemented.
Here are some of the important things to keep in mind about the penalties under the RTI Act:
- The penalties can be imposed even if the non-compliance is unintentional.
- The penalties can be imposed even if the information is eventually provided.
- The penalties can be imposed even if the requester does not file a complaint with the Information Commission.
If you believe that a PIO or a head of a public authority has not complied with the RTI Act, you can file a complaint with the Information Commission. The Information Commission will investigate the complaint and, if it finds that there has been non-compliance, it can impose the appropriate penalties.