10 people from Gujarat banned from filing RTI queries in last 18 months

Ten people in Gujarat have been banned for life from filing Right to Information (RTI) queries in the last 18 months. The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC), which imposed the ban, listed 'using RTI Act to harass government officials' and 'filing multiple queries' as the reasons, according to a report by the Times of India.

The report quoted research by a Gujarat-based NGO saying that the information commissioners instructed officials not to provide any information regarding the queries in all 10 cases.

In one of the 10 cases, GIC imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Hitesh Patel and his wife from Petlad for filing 13 RTI queries demanding information about their residential society.

In another case, the TOI report added that a school teacher from Pethapur in Gandhinagar, Amita Mishra, was handed the ban after she sought a copy of her service book and salary details. The school authorities had stated that Mishra does not pay the required Rs 2 per page RTI fee.

Sattar Majid Khalifa, another school employee from Kasba, was banned after he asked questions about his institution and questioned the intention of steps taken against him. Mishra's and Khalifa's rights were withdrawn by the information commission KM Adhvaryu.

"These orders are not only disputable but also totally illegal and could be challenged by moving the Gujarat high court," first chief information officer Wajahat Habibullah said.

Dilip Thaker from Bhavnagar has been banned from filing RTIs related to Bhavnagar's chief district health office. Makwana's wife is an employee in the state health department and had earlier sought information on the eligibility for getting government quarters.

Thaker's wife and mother-in-law have been banned from filing RTI queries for five years.