Properly dispose of RTI applications, appeals: Govt to departments

Greater Kashmir: New Delhi: Monday, 23 February 2015.

The Government has asked ministries to properly dispose of applications and appeals filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act as per the laid down guidelines.

The Public Information Officer (PIO) should communicate reason for rejection, period within which appeal can be filed and particulars of appellate authority while rejecting a RTI application, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said in an order.

An applicant should be given details of further fees to be paid, the calculations made to arrive at the amount of fees asked and the fact that the applicant has a right to make appeal about the amount of fees so demanded, it said.

While disposing off first appeals, the first appellate authorities should act in a fair and judicious manner. It is very important that the order passed by the first appellate authority should be a detailed and speaking order, giving justification for the decision arrived at, the DoPT said.

If an appellate authority while deciding an appeal comes to a conclusion that the appellant should be supplied information in addition to what has been supplied by the PIO, he may either pass an order directing the officer to give such information or he himself may give information to the appellant, it said.

The appellate authority should ensure that the information ordered by him to be supplied (by PIO) is given to the appellant immediately, the DoPT said.

"It would, however, be better if the appellate authority chooses the second course of action and he himself furnishes the information along with the order passed by him in the matter," it said.

A citizen can seek information on governance-matters by exercising his Right to Information.