MP Man’s RTI Plea Yields an Astounding 40,000-Page Reply; He Accomplishes Herculean Task of Carrying Home Documents Stuffed in His Car

In a bizarre incident, a man in Indore received a 40,000-page reply to his Right to Information Act (RTI) plea.

Overview:

In a bizarre incident, a man got a 40,000-page reply to his Right to Information Act (RTI) plea in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, stuffing his entire car with the documents on Saturday. The petitioner, Dharmendra Shukla, had submitted an RTI with the Indore’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) seeking details of tenders and bill payments related to the procurement of medicines, equipment, and allied materials during the Covid-19 period. When he did not receive the information within the stipulated one month period, he approached the first appellate officer who accepted his plea and ordered to provide the required information free of cost.

The Incident:

• Dharmendra Shukla received a 40,000-page reply to his RTI plea.
• His entire car was filled with the documents.
• The driver’s seat was the only space left unoccupied.

Actions Taken:

The first appellate officer and Regional Joint Director of the state health department, Dr. Sharad Gupta, directed the CMHO to take action against the official responsible for the delay in providing the information. As a result of the delay, the state exchequer lost ₹80,000 and the information had to be provided free of cost to Mr. Shukla.

Conclusion:

This incident highlights the need for timely response to RTI pleas and accountability of government officials. It also serves as a reminder for individuals to exercise their right to information and seek transparency from the authorities.

(With inputs from PTI)