The Tripura Human Rights Commission (THRC) has directed the Revenue Secretary to investigate allegations of misconduct by Directorate of Land Records and Settlement officials during an RTI appeal hearing. The inquiry report has been sought before the Commission’s next hearing scheduled on July 28.
The Tripura Human Rights Commission (THRC) has recommended an inquiry by the Secretary of the Revenue Department into allegations of misconduct against officials of the Directorate of Land Records and Settlement (DLRS) during the hearing of a Right to Information (RTI) appeal. The Commission has directed that a detailed inquiry report be submitted before the next hearing of the matter, which has been scheduled for July 28.
The interim order was passed by the Commission headed by Justice Arindam Lodh after examining a complaint filed by advocate Uttam Das, a member of the Tripura Bar Association. The complaint alleged that officials associated with the RTI appeal proceedings behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional manner during a hearing held on July 1.
According to the Commission’s order, it considered it appropriate to seek an independent inquiry before taking further cognizance of the complaint. The order stated that a copy of the complaint should be forwarded to the Secretary of the Revenue Department, Government of Tripura, with a request to conduct an inquiry or investigation into the allegations and submit a report before the next scheduled hearing.
The dispute originated from an RTI application submitted by advocate Uttam Das on April 2 seeking information from the Directorate of Land Records and Settlement. As per the complaint, no reply was received within the time limit prescribed under the Right to Information Act. Subsequently, the applicant filed a first appeal and also issued a reminder seeking the requested information.
Although the department later provided a partial response, Das alleged that several documents sought through the RTI application were not supplied. Dissatisfied with the incomplete response, he pursued the matter through the appellate process.
The complaint further stated that tensions arose during the hearing when the complainant referred to the penalty provisions under Section 20 of the RTI Act, which empowers authorities to impose penalties on officials for failure to comply with the Act in certain circumstances. According to the allegations, the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) accused the complainant of violating the decorum of the proceedings, wasting official time, and engaging in unnecessary arguments before the First Appellate Authority (FAA).
Advocate Das also alleged that the First Appellate Authority did not intervene to defuse the situation despite the exchange becoming contentious. The complaint further claimed that the SPIO left the hearing before the proceedings had concluded, raising questions about the conduct of the appeal process.
In addition to the allegations against the SPIO, the complaint accused an RTI Cell dealing assistant of making dismissive remarks during the proceedings. According to the petition, the official allegedly stated that even approaching the Human Rights Commission would have no consequences, a remark that has also been included in the complaint placed before the Commission.
The petition further alleged that the SPIO remarked that the RTI application fee should be increased to discourage what was described as the misuse of the RTI Act. The complaint also claimed that records related to land conversion and associated procedures were deliberately withheld despite being available with the department.
After reviewing the contents of the petition, the Tripura Human Rights Commission observed that the allegations required independent verification before any decision could be taken on the complaint. Consequently, it directed the Revenue Department to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit its findings before the Commission.
The Commission has fixed July 28 as the next date of hearing and expects the Revenue Department to place its inquiry report on record by then. The findings of the investigation are expected to assist the Commission in determining the subsequent course of action regarding the allegations made in the complaint.
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The case highlights the importance of transparency, accountability, and adherence to established procedures in the implementation of the Right to Information Act. The Commission’s decision to seek an independent inquiry underscores the need for a fair examination of the allegations before any further proceedings are undertaken. All allegations contained in the complaint remain subject to verification through the inquiry ordered by the Revenue Department, and no conclusions have been drawn by the Commission at this stage.
