The
Hindu: Chennai: Friday, November 16, 2012.
Public
awareness of the Right to Information Act is not adequate, according to State
Information Commission chief K.S. Sripathi.
Inaugurating
a workshop on the Right to Information Act 2005, he said though the awareness
level in Tamil Nadu was better compared to other States, it was not adequate.
Expressing
concern over frivolous complaints being filed before the authorities, he said:
“The Public Information Officer (PIO) or public authority can give information
available in records. One cannot ask or compel the PIO to get information on
what is not available or information that cannot be given. The PIO and State
Information Commission are not forums meant for solving problems of
applicants.”
Advising
applicants to desist from sending their applications directly to the State
Information Commission, he said as per the Act an applicant could approach the
PIO first and then appellate authority. If applicants failed to obtain the
required information from them, they could file a second appeal before the
State information Commission.
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