Online RTI application on MCD websites remain non-functional

Indian Express‎‎: New Delhi: Thursday, July 21, 2016.

The Right to Information application on the website of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been non-functional for more than six months now.

The website states that submission of online RTI applications are suspended due to ‘updation of software.’

The condition is same across the three websites of MCD- South Delhi Municipal Corporation, East Delhi Municipal Corporation and North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Speaking to IndianExpress.com, SDMC Public Relations Officer, Mukesh Yadav said, “Since we are trifurcating the applications, the upgradation process is still going on. It is a fairly lengthy process. ” He, however, could not specify the date of disruption of this service.

Media law expert, Dhiranjan Malvey said, “The law is very clear when it states that any person can make a request in writing OR through electronic means. It is imperative for government organisations to provide both these options to people. ”

He further explained how the law is very clear in its wording. “The facility to file online RTI must be provided else it would tantamount to violation of the Act itself.” said Malvey.

Additional Director of IT department, MCD, Sonu Gupta told the IndianExpress.com that the submission of online RTI applications had been suspended since ‘last year.’ However, Gupta too could not specify the actual date when the online submission of RTI on MCD websites stopped working.

When asked about the reason behind the delay in upgradation, Gupta said, “When applications are trifurcated, it needs to be customised on the basis of requirement. A lot of training goes behind it and that takes a lot of time. We are still working on it.”

Citing arbitration issues, Gupta did not mention how much more time it would take to get the online RTI application running.

According to a 2015 report by DNA, the online submission of RTI on MCD’s web portal had been non-functional for over two years.

In 2013, Hindustan Times had also reported that the online filing of RTI was yet to take off after the trifurcation of the website. The Hindustan Times report had quoted the NDMC PRO as saying that “it would take three-four months for the process to be over.”

The MCD website has over 100 applications and is maintained by Tech Mahindra. Currently, if any person desires to fill an RTI application, the only option is to file it offline.