Ranjit Kumar Panda vs State Chief Information ...
2023 Latest Caselaw 1038 Ori

                   IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK

                                       W.A. No. 533 of 2020


             Ranjit Kumar Panda                         ....             Appellant
                                       Mr. Prasanta Kumar Mohanty, Advocate
                                           -versus-
             State Chief Information Commissioner ....         Respondents
             and Others
                                                  Mr. B.K. Dash, Advocate

             CORAM:
             THE CHIEF JUSTICE
             JUSTICE M.S. RAMAN

                                          ORDER

Order No. 31.01.2023

02. 1. The challenge in the present writ appeal is to a judgment dated 27th February, 2020 passed by the learned Single Judge dismissing W.P.(C) No.510 of 2019 filed by the present Appellant in which the order dated 6th September, 2018 passed by the State Chief Information Commissioner in Second Appeal No.363 of 2016 was dismissed. The Appellant had also sought a direction for levy of penalty of Rs.250/- per day between 9th December, 2015 and 12th May, 2016 on Respondent No.4, i.e., Ex-Headmaster, Kathapal UGUP School and take disciplinary action against him for supplying a false and misleading information to the Appellant.

2. The impugned order notes that after the Appellant made an application in Form-A, the requisite information was called from the Headmaster of the School which was then obtained and handed over to the Appellant on 8th December, 2015.

3. Further information sought by the Appellant by an application dated 21st July, 2016 was also handed over to him personally on 22nd August, 2016. What was withheld was the subsequent applications relating to the leave applications of Pradeep Kumar Panda, who was a former Assistant Teacher, and who happens to be the Petitioner's brother. This information was withheld because the said Pradeep Kumar Panda got relieved from the school in question on 31st October, 2014 itself.

4. In that view of the matter, the Court is unable to find any error having been committed by the State Information Commissioner rejecting Second Appeal No.363 of 2016 by the order dated 6th September, 2018 and consequently the impugned order dated 27th February, 2020 passed by the learned Single Judge dismissing W.P.(C) No.510 of 2019. The writ appeal is, accordingly, dismissed.

(Dr. S. Muralidhar) Chief Justice

(M.S.Raman) Judge S.K. Jena/Secy.