Karwar: Officials are legally bound to provide information sought under the Right to Information Act, 2005 within the stipulated time, Karnataka State Information Commission Commissioner Dr. Harish Kumar said on Saturday.

Addressing a district-level workshop for public information officers at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here, he said the Act plays a crucial role in ensuring transparency and accountability in governance and helps address public grievances effectively.

He warned that failure to provide information within the prescribed period could attract penalties of up to Rs 25,000, along with disciplinary action against erring officials. He also urged officers to stay updated on Supreme Court and High Court rulings and ensure proper disposal of applications at the first appellate stage.

Emphasising efficient record management, he said files must be systematically maintained, and any loss of records should be reported through an FIR, failing which action could be initiated against responsible officials.

Information Commissioner Badruddin said cases of misuse of the RTI Act had been reported, with 26 individuals blacklisted so far. He added that while over 55,000 appeals were pending earlier, more than 26,000 have been disposed of, with around 28,700 cases still pending. In Uttara Kannada district alone, 524 applications remain pending.

Deputy Commissioner K. Lakshmi Priya said most RTI applications in the district relate to revenue, forest, police and rural development departments. She noted that ongoing digitisation in the revenue department would help ensure quicker and more transparent access to information.

Other senior officials were present at the programme, followed by an interaction with the public and media.