Alleging corruption: RTI commissioner accused of closing incomplete case
Haripur varsity professor says he requested information on employee
RTI K-P office did not respond to repeated phone calls about the issue or provide a clarification of its policy. PHOTO: FILE
HARIPUR:
The K-P Right to Information commissioner has allegedly closed a complaint without listening to arguments and issuing the requested information. University of Haripur Assistant Professor Khurram Mehtab made this claim while addressing a news conference on Wednesday.
He alleged the commissioner closed the case without probing it due to vested interests.
Written protest
Through a written protest that Mehtab registered with commissioner RTI on August 26, he pointed out that he had filed a formal request to the RTI Commission on January 19. However, he added, it was dismissed without the provision of the desired information.
Mehtab said he had requested documents of Sehail Younas, who had applied for the post of additional registrar at University of Haripur.
He had also asked for the name and designation of the authority who attested the candidate’s documents. The names and designations of members of the scrutiny committee were also requested for along with all other relevant documents from the appointment.
However, Mehtab said, except a couple of documents, which were not sufficient to address his complaint, no information was released to him. After this, without listening to his arguments, the commissioner held the proceedings on August 25 and disposed of his complaint without allowing the law to take its course.
Mehtab claimed he did not even receive a letter from the commission office about the final proceedings.
Referring to the final proceedings of the RTI commissioner, Mehtab said while closing his file the commissioner mentioned, “The complainant has received the desired documents in respect of Sehail Younis.” However, Mehtab maintained he did not receive the complete information that he had sought.
Proving case
Moreover, Mehtab said, the commissioner was a member of University of Haripur’s syndicate when Younas was inducted on the post of additional registrar.
To prove his case further he mentioned a letter from the commissioner to the assistant registrar of the varsity on July 21. The letter stated the documents were missing. He added the commission office also sent him a copy of the letter showing University of Haripur had lost most of the documents of the person in question. “It is against the true spirit of law that the case was closed without the provision of complete information or listening to the complainant,” he added.
Mehtab demanded the RTI Commission specify the particular provision of the RTI Act, 2013 which empowers the RTI Commission to close cases without the provision of complete and relevant information.
Meanwhile the RTI K-P office did not respond to repeated phone calls about the issue or provide a clarification of its policy.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2016.
The K-P Right to Information commissioner has allegedly closed a complaint without listening to arguments and issuing the requested information. University of Haripur Assistant Professor Khurram Mehtab made this claim while addressing a news conference on Wednesday.
He alleged the commissioner closed the case without probing it due to vested interests.
Written protest
Through a written protest that Mehtab registered with commissioner RTI on August 26, he pointed out that he had filed a formal request to the RTI Commission on January 19. However, he added, it was dismissed without the provision of the desired information.
Mehtab said he had requested documents of Sehail Younas, who had applied for the post of additional registrar at University of Haripur.
He had also asked for the name and designation of the authority who attested the candidate’s documents. The names and designations of members of the scrutiny committee were also requested for along with all other relevant documents from the appointment.
However, Mehtab said, except a couple of documents, which were not sufficient to address his complaint, no information was released to him. After this, without listening to his arguments, the commissioner held the proceedings on August 25 and disposed of his complaint without allowing the law to take its course.
Mehtab claimed he did not even receive a letter from the commission office about the final proceedings.
Referring to the final proceedings of the RTI commissioner, Mehtab said while closing his file the commissioner mentioned, “The complainant has received the desired documents in respect of Sehail Younis.” However, Mehtab maintained he did not receive the complete information that he had sought.
Proving case
Moreover, Mehtab said, the commissioner was a member of University of Haripur’s syndicate when Younas was inducted on the post of additional registrar.
To prove his case further he mentioned a letter from the commissioner to the assistant registrar of the varsity on July 21. The letter stated the documents were missing. He added the commission office also sent him a copy of the letter showing University of Haripur had lost most of the documents of the person in question. “It is against the true spirit of law that the case was closed without the provision of complete information or listening to the complainant,” he added.
Mehtab demanded the RTI Commission specify the particular provision of the RTI Act, 2013 which empowers the RTI Commission to close cases without the provision of complete and relevant information.
Meanwhile the RTI K-P office did not respond to repeated phone calls about the issue or provide a clarification of its policy.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2016.