Unauthorised basement use: CIC slaps ₹20,000 penalty on MCD officials for ‘mala fide’ reply
New Delhi, The Central Information Commission has imposed a total penalty of ₹20,000 on two MCD officials, flagging “mala fide” conduct and a “misleading and incorrect” RTI reply in a case where information was furnished for an entirely different property, linked to alleged unauthorised basement use in Shastri Nagar. Unauthorised basement use: CIC slaps ₹20,000 penalty on MCD officials for ‘mala fide’ reply Highlighting the discrepancy, the applicant said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi provided a reply about another property altogether, despite repeated representations pointing out that the information sought related to a specific address where alleged misuse of a basement, including possible commercial use, was under question. Coming down heavily on the officials, the CIC observed that the RTI plea “remained unattended within the stipulated time frame, in clear violation of the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005.” A penalty of ₹5,000 was imposed on the then Public Information Officer for not furnishing any reply within the prescribed period, while ₹15,000 was levied on the present PIO for providing “incorrect and misleading information” and …








