JUDGMENT :

The petitioner, invoking the mechanism under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (hereafter the Act for short), presented an application seeking information before the Public Information Officer, respondent no.2, on 29.08.2018. The respondent no.2 did not furnish information within the time stipulated by the Act resulting in institution of a first appeal under section 19(1) of the Act by the petitioner before the first appellate authority, respondent no.3. Despite an order passed by the respondent no.3, the respondent no.2 caused unnecessary delay in furnishing information to the petitioner. On 09.11.2018, the petitioner approached the Goa State Information Commission with an appeal/a complaint against the respondent no.2, inter alia, seeking an order that penalty be imposed on the respondent no.2 for breaching the provisions of the Act as also for causing hardship to the petitioner. The appeal/complaint of the petitioner was disposed of by the Information Commissioner (hereafter the Commissioner for short) by an order dated 06.02.2019. The claim of the petitioner that there was delay in furnishing information by the respondent no.2 was accepted. The Commissioner also foun