RTI application to cost Rs 50 again

GreaterKashmir.com: Jammu: Thursday, July 26, 2012.

Jammu and Kashmir Government will now once again be charging Rs 50 as fee alongwith an application under Right to Information Act.

Official sources said that General Administration Department has asked all the administrative secretaries to charge the fee from an RTI applicant strictly under the rules framed in 2010.

The order says that the government departments were charging Rs 10 under Rule 4 of J&K RTI Rules, 2010, Rs 2- under Rule 5 (a), for each page in A-4 or A-3 size paper and Rs. 10- for each page in legal size paper created or copied and under Rule 6, Rs. 40 per diskette or floppy and Rs 50 per compact disc.

The fee structure was prescribed by Jammu and Kashmir High Court in its interim direction passed in a Public Interest Litigation BR Manhas Vs State. “The Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, vide their U.0 No. LD(Lit) 2011/57-GAD dated: 16.07.2012, has intimated that High Court has disposed of the Writ Petition (PIL) No. 2812011 titled B.R. Manhas Vs State and Ors vide its judgment dated: 20.04.2012 where under interim order dated: 02.03.2012 stands vacated”, the order issued by GAD reads.

It adds, “All the Administrative Secretaries are requested to direct the concerned authorities under their Administrative control to charge fee, strictly as per the rates specified in RTI Rules, 2010”.