O R D E R

Heard Mr. S.Sathia Chandran, Learned Counsel for the Petitioner, Mr.

C.Vigneswaran, Learned Counsel appearing for the First Respondent, Mr. S.J.Mohamed Sathik, Learned Government Advocate appearing for the Second and Third Respondents and Mr. S.Makesh, Learned Counsel appearing for the Fourth Respondent and perused the materials placed on record, apart from the pleadings of the parties.

2. The grievance ventilated by the Petitioner in this Writ Petition is that the First Respondent in the order dated 26.10.2021 passed in the Second Appeal in Case No. 7378/A/2021 preferred by the Petitioner under Section 19(3) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act' for short), while directing disciplinary proceedings to be initiated against the erring Public Information Officer and the Appellate Authority under Section 20(2) of the Act, has not imposed any penalty under Section 20(1) of the Act.

3. In this regard, it would be appropriate to refer to Section 20 of the Act, which reads as follows:~

“20. Penalties:-

(1) Where the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, at the time of deciding any complaint or appea