Arunachal Observer: Itanagar: Sunday, 15 October 2023.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Information Commissioner Rinchen Dorjee has appealed to the people not to misuse the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. He said that the Arunachal Pradesh Information Commission (APIC) is doing its best to perform its quasi-judicial function as mandated in the RTI Act. Dorjee said this while addressing a function organized at Jarbom Gamlin Government Law College (JGGLC) at Jote, near here, commemorating 18th anniversary of the enactment of the RTI Act.
The aim of the RTI Week celebration is to evolve a strategy to do advocacy, disseminate the message of transparency and accountability, and keep the citizenry informed through the exchange of ideas and the spread of information. While appreciating Jote-based JGGLC students and faculty members for attending the programme enthusiastically, Dorjee urged them to get themselves acquainted with various provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, for proper application of the ‘people-friendly’ Act.
State nformation Commissioners Genom Tekseng and Gumjum Haider also spoke, highlighting various provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, for knowledge of the gathering.
JGGLC principal J. George spoke earlier followed by introductory and keynote addresses by APIC registrar Taro Mize.
It may be recalled that Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS), an organisation trying to hold the Govt accountable vis-a-vis RTI Act, 2005. In its report on performance of information commissions of India for 2022-23 released on October 11, has highlighted poor state of affairs of many state information commissions (SICs) of India while at least four of the 29 (SICs) in India are completely defunct.
The other way to deny information is to keep appeals pending, finds the SNS. As many as “3, 21, 537 appeals and complaints were pending on June 30, 2023 in 27 SICs, from which data was obtained. The backlog of appeals and complaints has been steadily increasing in commissions,” the report said.
“The 2019 assessment had found that as of 31.03.19, total 2,18,347 appeals and complaints were pending in 26 SICs from which data was obtained, which climbed to 2,86,325 as of June 30.06.21 and then crossed 3 lakh as of 30.06.22.
“Using the average monthly disposal rate and pendency in SICs, the time it would take for an appeal/complaint to be disposed was computed.
“The assessment shows that West Bengal SIC would take an estimated 24 years & one month to dispose [of] a matter. A matter filed on July 1, 2023 would be disposed [of] in 2047 at current monthly rate of disposal.
“In Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra SICs, estimated time for disposal is more than four years and in Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh more than two years. The assessment shows that 10 SICs would take one year or more to dispose [of] a matter.”
Besides, it is mandatory to table an annual report in Parliament. The report says that 19 out of 29 SICs or 66% have not published their annual report for 2021-22, the report added.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Information Commissioner Rinchen Dorjee has appealed to the people not to misuse the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. He said that the Arunachal Pradesh Information Commission (APIC) is doing its best to perform its quasi-judicial function as mandated in the RTI Act. Dorjee said this while addressing a function organized at Jarbom Gamlin Government Law College (JGGLC) at Jote, near here, commemorating 18th anniversary of the enactment of the RTI Act.
The aim of the RTI Week celebration is to evolve a strategy to do advocacy, disseminate the message of transparency and accountability, and keep the citizenry informed through the exchange of ideas and the spread of information. While appreciating Jote-based JGGLC students and faculty members for attending the programme enthusiastically, Dorjee urged them to get themselves acquainted with various provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, for proper application of the ‘people-friendly’ Act.
State nformation Commissioners Genom Tekseng and Gumjum Haider also spoke, highlighting various provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, for knowledge of the gathering.
JGGLC principal J. George spoke earlier followed by introductory and keynote addresses by APIC registrar Taro Mize.
It may be recalled that Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS), an organisation trying to hold the Govt accountable vis-a-vis RTI Act, 2005. In its report on performance of information commissions of India for 2022-23 released on October 11, has highlighted poor state of affairs of many state information commissions (SICs) of India while at least four of the 29 (SICs) in India are completely defunct.
The other way to deny information is to keep appeals pending, finds the SNS. As many as “3, 21, 537 appeals and complaints were pending on June 30, 2023 in 27 SICs, from which data was obtained. The backlog of appeals and complaints has been steadily increasing in commissions,” the report said.
“The 2019 assessment had found that as of 31.03.19, total 2,18,347 appeals and complaints were pending in 26 SICs from which data was obtained, which climbed to 2,86,325 as of June 30.06.21 and then crossed 3 lakh as of 30.06.22.
“Using the average monthly disposal rate and pendency in SICs, the time it would take for an appeal/complaint to be disposed was computed.
“The assessment shows that West Bengal SIC would take an estimated 24 years & one month to dispose [of] a matter. A matter filed on July 1, 2023 would be disposed [of] in 2047 at current monthly rate of disposal.
“In Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra SICs, estimated time for disposal is more than four years and in Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh more than two years. The assessment shows that 10 SICs would take one year or more to dispose [of] a matter.”
Besides, it is mandatory to table an annual report in Parliament. The report says that 19 out of 29 SICs or 66% have not published their annual report for 2021-22, the report added.
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