SIC asks GAD to issue circular on format of reply under RTI Act

Daily Excelsior: Jammu: Wednesday, December 16, 2015.

The Jammu and Kashmir State Information Commission has asked the General Administration Department to issue a circular on the format for giving information to the applicants, under RTI Act 2009.

In a communiqué, issued by Deputy Secretary J&K State Information Commission to the Additional Secretary (Admn) GAD, dated 10-12-2015, the SIC has explained that the reply to applicant should be essentially containing RTI application number, date and date of its receipt by Public authority, the name, designation, official telephone number and email ID of the PIO, detailed reasons for denial of information quoting the relevant Section of the RTI Act (in case of denial), details of public authority to whom the application is transferred (in case the information pertains to other public authority) while the name, designation, address, official telephone number, email ID of the Ist Appellate Authority should also be clearly mentioned.

In concluding para of the reply, it should be clearly mentioned that the Ist appeal, if any, against the response of PIO, may be made to the First Appellate Authority within 30 days of receipt of reply of PIO, the SIC adds in the communiqué to GAD.

In addition, SIC says, whenever the applicant has requested for the certified copies of the documents or records, the PIO should endorse on the document `True copy of the document/record, supplied under RTI Act’, sign the document with date above a seal containing name of the office, PIO and name of the public authority.

Further, in case the documents to be certified and supplied are large in number, information on RTI application should be supplied by a designated PIO but the certification of the documents, if needed, could be done by a junior level officer.

Maintaining that these recommendations, made by a committee of DoPT, are squarely applicable in J&K, the Commission has requested that the follow up action on this communication may kindly be intimated within two weeks of receipt of the communication.