Ziara Times: Srinagar: Sunday, January 12, 2025.
The Jammu and Kashmir RTI Foundation has issued a press statement highlighting several concerns regarding the newly launched J&K Right to Information (RTI) Online Portal (https://rtionline.jk.gov.in).
While acknowledging the portal’s potential to enhance government transparency, the Foundation, in a statement to Ziraat Times, raised several issues that could affect the user experience and limit the portal’s effectiveness in serving the public.
Launched by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on January 10, 2025, the J&K RTI Online Portal aims to simplify the RTI filing process and provide citizens with easier access to government information. However, the Foundation has identified several operational flaws that could hinder the portal’s usability and impact its success.
One major concern raised by the Foundation is the warning message displayed on the portal’s homepage. The message advises users not to file RTI requests for Central Government or other State Government departments. According to the Foundation, this prominently placed warning may confuse first-time users and discourage them from using the system. It has suggested including a welcoming message to reassure users that the portal is specifically intended for J&K government departments.
Another issue highlighted by the Foundation is the mandatory requirement to upload a PDF document when submitting an RTI request. Applicants are already required to enter the RTI request text in a designated field but are still forced to upload a document. The Foundation considers this redundant. In contrast, the Central RTI Online Portal (https://rtionline.gov.in) allows document uploads to remain optional. If users on the J&K portal fail to upload a document, they are redirected to an error page and must restart the entire process. The Foundation has recommended making the document upload optional and introducing on-page validation to allow users to correct errors without losing progress.
The Foundation also raised concerns about a post-submission message stating that the application fee will not be refunded if the relevant public authority is not integrated into the portal. Additionally, the message warns that such applications will not be forwarded to the relevant authority. The Foundation has urged authorities to either onboard all public authorities or use Section 6(3) of the RTI Act to transfer applications to the appropriate authority, even if it is not yet part of the system.
A particularly pressing concern is the exclusion of Jammu and Kashmir Bank from the portal. Although the Bank qualifies as a public authority under the RTI Act and maintains an RTI section on its website (https://www.jkbank.com/others/common/rtiBank.php), it is not integrated into the J&K RTI Online Portal. The Foundation reports receiving numerous complaints from citizens unable to file RTI requests with the Bank through the portal and has called for its prompt inclusion to facilitate easier access for applicants.
Lastly, the Foundation noted that while users receive an SMS confirming their RTI application submission, no email confirmation is sent. It has recommended introducing email confirmations, similar to the process followed by the Central RTI Online Portal, to provide applicants with an official record of their submissions.
While commending the government’s initiative to introduce an online RTI filing system, the J&K RTI Foundation has urged authorities to address these concerns promptly. Resolving these issues would allow the portal to better serve the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and achieve its objective of enhancing transparency and accountability in governance.
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