Times of India: Ahmedabad: Saturday,
5 October 2024.
A recent order from the
Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has directed immediate retrieval of
"all defective Right to Information (RTI) forms from the civic centres of
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC)" as they do not include the mandatory
declaration by the applicant that they are an Indian citizen.
This case pertains to an RTI applicant from Danilimda, Nazarul Sheikh, who filed an RTI application seeking information from the AMC regarding town planning (TP) schemes in the Danilimda ward. Nikhil Bhatt, the state information commissioner, had questioned the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) regarding the absence of the required declaration on all of their RTI forms.
"Replace these forms with the correct forms as per the Gujarat Right to Information Rules, 2010," Bhatt said in his Sep 23 order. The commission has sought a written reply within 30 days from the AMC.
The civic body is to replace the existing forms with the format specified in the Right to Information rules, specifically the Form-A format.
Pankti Jog, of the Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel (MAGP), told TOI, "The AMC will have to withdraw thousands of forms from its centres and zonal offices. Only the forms meant for filing of complaints and second appeals with the GIC bore the declaration. It was former state chief information commissioner D Rajagopalan who had first insisted that the applicant mention the serial number of an identity document on the RTI application."
Jog added that under the existing RTI rules, OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) and PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) cardholders can also ask for information under the RTI Act.
This case pertains to an RTI applicant from Danilimda, Nazarul Sheikh, who filed an RTI application seeking information from the AMC regarding town planning (TP) schemes in the Danilimda ward. Nikhil Bhatt, the state information commissioner, had questioned the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) regarding the absence of the required declaration on all of their RTI forms.
"Replace these forms with the correct forms as per the Gujarat Right to Information Rules, 2010," Bhatt said in his Sep 23 order. The commission has sought a written reply within 30 days from the AMC.
The civic body is to replace the existing forms with the format specified in the Right to Information rules, specifically the Form-A format.
Pankti Jog, of the Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel (MAGP), told TOI, "The AMC will have to withdraw thousands of forms from its centres and zonal offices. Only the forms meant for filing of complaints and second appeals with the GIC bore the declaration. It was former state chief information commissioner D Rajagopalan who had first insisted that the applicant mention the serial number of an identity document on the RTI application."
Jog added that under the existing RTI rules, OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) and PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) cardholders can also ask for information under the RTI Act.
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