Zee
News: New Delhi: Monday, 23 February 2015.
The
Government has asked ministries to properly dispose off 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.
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