MP HC issues notices over denial of RTI info to JMC employee despite order
This was in response to a petition by an employee of the JMC, who was not given the information he desired under the RTI Act, despite an order from the MP high court.
The petitioner, Shivmohan Dwivedi, stated that he works with the JMC as an assistant. He was charged with furnishing incorrect information about posts available in the JMC, leading to an appointment on compassionate grounds based on the wrong information received from him.
A charge sheet was issued to him in April 2016. The investigation officer was changed three times. When he sought a copy of the inquiry report under RTI, he was refused the information.
On November 18, 2024, the MP High Court asked the JMC to furnish him with the desired information within 30 days. Subsequently, the State Information Commission also asked the JMC to provide the information sought under RTI and warned of imposing costs otherwise. When the order was not complied with, a probe against the concerned JMC officials was also ordered. The officers concerned replied that the report was with the JMC Commissioner and that if he ordered, a copy of the report would be provided.
Following this, Dubey moved the HC again. Following initial arguments, the bench of Justice Vishal Mishra issued notices to the respondents seeking a response.TNN
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
31% of railway accident deaths in 17 years in Mumbai remain unidentified: Data
In the past 17 years, from 2008 to 2024, over 50,000 people have lost their lives in railway accidents across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, according to data obtained by a Right to Information (RTI). Of these, 15,725 people, nearly one in every three, remain unidentified and unclaimed, the RTI data stated. The unclaimed bodies include homeless individuals, daily wage earners, mentally unwell persons, and migrant labourers, said Government Railway Police (GRP) officials, who are meant to be dealing with these cases. 'When we do come across an unidentified body after an accident, our usual practice is to hold it at the morgue for seven days. But depending on circumstances, we try to hold it for 30 or even 45 days if there is a possibility of identification,' a senior GRP officer told The Indian Express. Pictures of the victims are shared among police circles all over Maharashtra, personal belongings are screened, fingerprints are taken, and attempts are made to cross-check with any police records. Hair, nails, or tissue samples are even saved for DNA matching in some instances. Yet, most bodies remain unidentified despite this. From GRP reports, the circumstances of the victims usually make the identification difficult. 'A majority of them are ragpickers, beggars or mentally ill individuals with nothing on them to identify them. Frequently, there is no phone, no ID, nobody to inquire about them,' the official explained. Some bodies are injured beyond recognition so visual identification becomes impossible. A few years ago, the GRP maintained a site, 'Shodh,' that posted pictures and information about unidentified victims of accidents. It served to trace missing family members, but the initiative later closed down. Even though they remain anonymous in death and life, the GRP tries to treat unclaimed bodies with respect. After all efforts to identify them fail, cremation is performed, and a cash memo is drafted with the costs incurred. The bodies are cremated based on religious identity, wherever possible. Medical institutions, once in a while, ask to use the unclaimed bodies for study. The GRP provides temporary custody for research, provided that the body will be returned in the same condition for decent cremation afterwards. Nevertheless, a few instances of success exist. 'In just 5 to 10 per cent of the instances, the families come looking for their missing loved ones after the cremation has already been done. They were usually abandoned in the first place, or even their families do not know they are gone,' a Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel said. Rail activist Samir Zaveri, who lost his legs in a suburban train crash decades ago, has been agitating for railway safety and accountability for decades. He believes that the figures only show half the picture. 'Most people who travel on the railway system are from weaker sections of society. They might not have any close relatives in Mumbai. If they die, there is no one to look for them,' he said. It is not just a matter of missing people, but also the system not having identification tools that help, said Zaveri. 'Much of these deaths could have been recorded better, and the dead could have been identified if we used the technology smartly,' he said. Aadhaar Access Could Help, Say Police Identification could become easier and faster if law enforcement agencies could get Aadhaar biometric data accessible to them, says GRP. According to the officials, with the Aadhaar Act, 2016, in place, the police may not be allowed to access the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) database directly. However, police are of the view that a middle path could be found. 'We don't want complete access. But if Aadhaar officials can come to our morgues with biometric machines in their bags and confirm identities by fingerprints, it would save us time, effort, and money,' a senior GRP inspector said, requesting anonymity. The possible advantages being obvious, some of the victims who end up on the tracks might have signed up for an Aadhaar. The scanning of their fingerprints might bring up their identity instantly, enabling the police to alert their family members and put an end to a death that would be otherwise reduced to a statistic in an annual report. Zaveri said the authorities need to use a portable biometric device with Aadhaar-linked fingerprint and iris recognition software. 'This would verify identity on the spot. It will provide dignity to the deceased and closure to their families, wherever they may be,' he added. The present system is one of manual coordination between GRP, hospitals, and municipal bodies. There is no standard cremation cost. It will depend on the ambulance fee, storage charges, and crematorium fees. All this is coordinated by GRP officers who have to keep a database of the dead, complete with photos and fingerprints, even after they have been cremated. In extremely rare instances, families do appear once the last rites have been carried out. In those situations, the GRP makes reference to the records, items, and biological specimens stored in anticipation of future identification. Recognising the issue, a senior official from Central Railway said, 'This is a humanitarian concern that requires technological help and coordination between agencies. The objective should be not to let any death remain unrecognised.' Recently, there has also been a decrease in the number of unclaimed bodies left behind. The RPF officials maintain that steps like fencing, CCTV monitoring, and longer foot overbridges have minimised trespassing-related deaths and dwelling on the tracks. 'The number of ragpickers and homeless people near the railway tracks has decreased in recent times, and hence their deaths have come down, bringing down the untraced bodies,' an RPF officer added. But deaths from overcrowding, falls while boarding or getting off moving trains, and trespassing also continue. Unless systemic changes are made, including investments in identification systems and improved coordination, the issue of unclaimed deaths will persist, experts said. 'Every human being who dies should have a name, a family and dignity in death. The system needs to change to allow that,' Zaveri added.
Hans India
5 hours ago
- Hans India
Sericulture dept holds seminar on RTI Act
Nandyal: An awareness seminar on the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, was held on Saturday at the Sericulture Department office in Nandyal district. The event was organized to help officials and staff understand the importance and implementation of the RTI Act in government departments. Advocate Adiga Sridhar was the keynote speaker and provided a detailed presentation on the RTI Act. He explained the Act's goals, its role in promoting transparent governance, and the legal responsibilities of government employees. Sridhar also covered the procedures for responding to information requests, the types of information that can be disclosed, and the deadlines for doing so. Additionally, he discussed relevant topics such as the Conduct Rules and recent changes in public service laws. District sericulture officer K Nagesh, along with assistant directors from Atmakur, attended the seminar. Nagesh stated that the sericulture department is dedicated to implementing the RTI Act on time, as directed by the department's director. He emphasized that providing information within the specified time frame is crucial for accountable governance. About 50 officials and staff from the sericulture department participated in the seminar. The session was informative and is part of the department's ongoing effort to effectively respond to public information requests and uphold the spirit of the RTI Act.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Mark questions for visually impaired clearly, Gujarat high court tells GSHSEB
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat high court directed the Gujarat State Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board to ensure that future question papers for HSC and SSC exams clearly state which questions are meant exclusively for visually impaired students. The order came after several students faced confusion during the board exams held in March 2025, leading them to answer questions intended only for visually impaired students and losing marks as a result. Justice Nikhil Kariel said in the order, "The respondent No-2 (Board) is directed to ensure that for exams held in future, both for Classes 10 and 12, the list of instructions preceding the actual questions shall specifically state as regards the questions only to be attended by the visually impaired students." He further ordered, "The general instructions in the body of the question paper shall also specifically mention the question numbers which are for the students having visual impairment. " You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad The court was hearing a petition filed by a Class 10 student from Surat, represented by advocate Rafik Lokhandwala. The student claimed to have lost nearly 20 marks in the basic mathematics paper due to the ambiguity in the question paper instructions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Best Method for a Flat Stomach After 50 (It's Genius!) Lulutox Undo She was confused and answered questions meant only for visually impaired students. Her father made a representation to the board immediately after the exam and also sought information under the RTI Act, but the board did not rectify the issue. He eventually approached the high court seeking re-evaluation of her answer sheet. While Justice Kariel acknowledged in the order that "the petitioner's grievance was genuine", he declined to order re-evaluation. He noted in the order: "Public interest and equity demand that there should not be any interference in the present petition." Since the student did not fail and her marks were to be used only for Class 11 admission, the court said that re-evaluation could open floodgates for litigation. The court further stated in the order that the board "should have been alive to such a situation and should ensure that question papers in future, be it of Classes 10 or 12, such an ambiguity should not arise."
