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November 19, 2010

RTI procedures should be tightened for public authorities

MANY CIVIC authorities especially like Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) are not adopting correct practices in responding to RTI petitions making the petitioners utterly confused and harassed.

MCD neither mentions date of RTI petition nor complete name and other details of responding Public Information Officer (PIO).

Every civic authority must compulsorily mention dates of RTI petition and its receipt together with complete name, designation, address, telephone-number and e-mail ID of responding PIO together with similar details about Appellate Authority as required under section 7(8) of RTI Act.

Appellate Authority at Supreme Court does not follow basics of legal principles and RTI Act. Appellate Authority there orders charging of cost for documents not provided by PIO within 30 days of receipt of RTI petition in contradiction of section 7(6) of RTI Act.

File-notes reveal that Appellate Authority at Supreme Court even endorses PIO’s reply while Appellate Authority, Ramesh Abhishek at Department of Justice follows healthy tradition of refusing any such endorsement because an Appellate Authority should not be a part of decision-making process!

Central Information Commission should issue necessary directives in this regard so that the entire process is transparent and adheres to the basic protocol of Right To Information.

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