A 5-member committee has been constituted by the Vice Chancellor, Panjab University to look into the omission of the Prime Minister’s name from the list of doctoral degree (honoris causa) awardees provided to an RTI activist by the R&S branch of the University.
Dr.Manmohan Singh was awarded the Doctor of Laws degree (honoris causa) at a special convocation in November 2009. But this information was missing from an otherwise complete list of 74 names provided to the applicant.
“We have taken serious note of this lapse and the concerned employee has been placed under suspension. Further action will be taken as per the recommendations of the Committee”, said Prof A.K. Bhandari, Registrar Panjab University.
I do agreed with Dr.Rajinder k singla that why University authority had prefered to fixed the responsibility for the lapse on the lower rank officail, if action is to taken than the supritendedt who had assested and the Deputy registrar ( RTI ) under whose authority information was released are to be more accountable being officail at Higher Ranks
regard
bikram singh
RTI Impact by Dr Rajinder K Singla
Following the wide media coverage on the issue of award of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) to the Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh (few news-clippings attached herewith), the university authorities today plunged into action. Mr Satish, Senior Assistant of the Registration & Stores Branch of Panjab University has been suspended by the Registrar Prof. A.K. Bhandari for his offence of providing wrong information under RTI to the undersigned. Mr Satish had been appointed in PU on compensatory grounds after the death of his father Shri Gurbachan Singh who was also an employee of this University.Besides, a 5-member committee has been constituted by the University to look into this matter. The committee headed by senator G.K. Chatrath, comprises of two other senators Dr I.D. Gaur and Dr. Naval Kishore, one Deputy Registrar and one Assistant Registrar.
Most astonishing aspect of action taken is that the higher officials have saved their skin by suspending a lower rank employee. How could the Superintendent of R&S Branch, who had attested the information on honoris causa degrees, could be exonerated? How could Deputy Registrar (RTI)-cum-PIO be spared who had actually supplied this information and is directly accountable as per provisions of the RTI Act for providing wrong information to the applicants. Persons of high ranks, privileges and powers entail higher responsibilities as well. How higher officials of the University managed to escape their responsibilities also needs to be probed.
I have unearthed a number of scams and scandals in this University and the affiliated colleges during the last two years which, in many cases, had forced the authorities to eat a humble pie and take back their decisions. Recall that selection of two Assistant Registrars had to be cancelled in 2010 after I exposed the irregularities and illegalities committed by the University in the recruitment process. But, the authorities never preferred to fix responsibility upon the guilty officials and take an action against them. It is probably for the first time that the University had to suspend an employee, that too just for providing wrong information under the ‘Right to Information Act’ which had otherwise been widely flouted and mocked at by the PU Administration. May be that the person affected in the case is no one else but the Prime Minister of India. Sources disclose that the PM office has taken the issue very seriously.
But without the continuous and consistent coverage of issues I have been highlighting by the media, the University Authorities would have never thought of initiating action against its employees.
PS: Please note that the information on the composition of the committee is based upon unconfirmed sources and is, hence, subject to verification from the Panjab University Authorities.
Regards,
Dr Rajinder K Singla
RTI activist