“The commission had to order personal appearance of both the principal secretary and commissioner in the view of the persistent failure of the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, to plan appropriate management information systems for the MC, the lack of which is depriving the right to information of public. Interestingly, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation proclaims itself to be an “e-Corporation” on its website (ludhianacorp.com),” said Hitender  Jain. The orders were issued on December 31, 2007.

Jain said the Bench of Information Commission comprising Chief Information Commissioner Rajan Kashyap and Information Commissioner Lt Gen (Retd) P K Grover in their previous hearings had directed the MC Commissioner to indicate measures for improvement in management information systems, so that information can be easily retrieved when demanded under the RTI Act, 2005.

No such specific plan of action for appropriate management information systems for M C, Ludhiana, has been submitted so far by the MC. Proper maintenance of record is a pre-requisite for delivery of any information under the RTI Act.

In the absence of a proper system, the public would continue to be deprived of their right to information.    

Earlier, in the same case, on September 12, 2007, the bench had directed the corporation as well as local government director and the state government to make efforts to undertake adequate administrative reforms within the Municipal Local Bodies.

Even earlier, in another Appeal by Hitender Jain, Resurgence India vs PIO Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, the Bench of Punjab Information Commission in its orders August 22, 2007, had stated recommended similar instructions.