Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan (OSAA) Wednesday staged a protest in front of the State Information Commission office at Toshali Bhawan here, alleging illegal practices, arbitrariness, and gross negligence in case hearings by the Commission. OSAA state convener Pradip Pradhan, along with leaders Srikant Pakhla, Prakash Das, Bishwajit Mohanty, Manoj Sahoo, Guru Mohapatra and others, joined the protest.
Demonstrators held placards, banners, and raised slogans in support of their demands. The activists alleged that the Commission is deliberately weakening the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Joined by social workers, RTI activists, intellectuals, and lawyers, they raised slogans against the Commission, accusing it of shielding errant Public Information Officers (PIOs).
The OSSA activists alleged that the newly-appointed Chief Information Commissioner and Commissioners lack adequate knowledge and experience in handling RTI law and cases. They accused them of mishandling proceedings, issuing orders outside the courtroom, and limiting hearings to just 10 cases a day.
In a serious charge, activists alleged that since taking office, the Commission has arbitrarily dismissed around 800 cases and issued letters to appellants asking them to withdraw nearly 6,000 cases—an act they termed a blatant violation of the RTI Act and Odisha Commission rules. “Instead of delivering justice, the Commissioners are shielding PIOs and competing to dispose of cases in haste. This has created widespread dissatisfaction among citizens.
While the Chief Minister claims his government is functioning with a responsive approach, the State Information Commission appears to be doing just the opposite,” state convener of the OSAA Pradip Pradhan said. The protesters demanded the immediate removal of the incumbent Commissioners to protect the dignity and credibility of the institution.
