The Central Information Commission has issued a showcause notice to Prime Minister's Office for not replying to an RTI query filed nearly one and a half years ago.

After receiving a complaint from applicant Virendra Singh Sirohi, the Commission had issued notices to the PMO on February 26 to explain their case. "But no comment was offered by the CPIO. It may be presumed that the CPIO has nothing to say in this regard," Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said.

Sirohi had sent a plea to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2007 for conducting a fair inquiry into a case in which four individuals, as alleged by him, were falsely prosecuted.

About a year later, he filed an RTI application seeking status of his application, action taken on that and related information.

"The Commission hereby directs the CPIO, PMO, New Delhi to respond to the request for information of complainant Virendra Singh Sirohi within 15 working days from the date of receipt of this decision," Habibullah said.

Habibullah directed the official to show cause as to why a penalty of Rs 250 per day from the date when the information fell due, October 16, 2008 to the date when the same was actually supplied, not exceeding Rs 25,000 should not be imposed on him.