Agartala, April 4: The successful implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, might have come as a boon for Indian democracy, but it is fast becoming a “menace” for the department of school education in Tripura.

During the past week, the department has released altogether 4,712 offers of appointment for graduate school teachers out of 4,856 targeted. The remaining 144 offers are being kept in abeyance because of lack of candidates for the reserved categories of physically handicapped and ex-servicemen.

The job bonanza, however, has sparked statewide resentment because in most of the cases the beneficiaries have turned out to be CPM cadres or relatives and family members of party leaders.

But those deprived have now turned the heat on the school education department by flooding it with letters under the RTI Act, 2005, seeking a variety of information on job offers, including details of beneficiaries.

“Till yesterday we received 206 such letters,” said K.D. Das, deputy director of the department officiating as state public information officer. He said more letters were anticipated next week.

The woes of the department were compounded by intervention in the form of a suo moto action by the chief information commissioner, B.K. Chakraborty, asking the director of school education to take five-point measures for smooth receipt of applications and dissemination of information.

According to copies of the commissioner’s directive circulated this morning, the director of school education has been asked to designate four more officers to function as state public information officers for the four districts of the state and to provide them with adequate staff.

The director has been asked to designate one more first appellate authority in the department for speedy disposal of appeals by applicants for information. The information commissioner has also asked the director of school education, Hiralal Chakraborty, to display the names, designation and contact details of such information officers and appellate authorities in front of the school education department office. He was asked to circulate the same widely through the media.

Although the information commissioner’s letter has come as a “big disappointment” for the harried school education department, officials refused to comment on the issue.

Principal secretary Banamali Sinha, in charge of the school education department, however, said the directives needed to be followed.

“I am not aware of the exact number of applications received so far but the officers of the department told me yesterday that a large number of applications seeking information had already been filed, the officers will act upon the directive issued by the CIC,” he said.

Reacting to queries over his directives, B.K. Chakraborty said his action was not “suo moto” but a duty.

“According to Section 19 (8) of the RTI Act 2005, I am quite within my power and jurisdiction to issue such directives and under Section 19 (7) the directives are binding on the government. It had come to my notice that large number of applications were being filed for information with the school education department and I decided to issue the directives in public interest in keeping with the letter and spirit of the RTI Act,” Chakraborty said.