Taking transparency to another level, the government on Tuesday directed all its ministries and departments to suo motu display RTI applications and responses thereof, on their respective websites from October 31.
However, the DoPT instructions in this regard do leave scope for withholding RTI replies that contain personal information relating to an individual. “It may be noted that RTI applications and appeals received and their responses relating to the personal information of an individual may not be disclosed if they do not serve any public interest,” said the DoPT note circulated to all Union ministries and departments on Tuesday.
To facilitate uploading of RTI applications and appeals received and their responses on the website, a new feature has been added to the CPIO/FAA module on the ‘RTI Online’ portal on pilot basis for DoPT. Through this feature, an option is given to the central public information officers (CPIO) and first appellate authority (FAA) to upload the reply to RTI query and the first appeal respectively on to the department’s website. This particular feature will now be extended to other ministries and departments as well. To display the RTI applications received in the ministry/department and the reply given using this feature, web services will be provided through a URL to each ministry or department by NIC or DoPT.
“The concerned ministry/department needs to consume this web service (by writing a program) to display the desired contest on its respective website,” the DoPT note said while asking the ministries and departments to take the help of NIC or DoPT experts in this regard.
“An immediate action is requested so that the facility to upload the reply to RTI application and first appeal respectively on the website of the respective ministry/department may be started with effect from October 31, 2014,” directed the DoPT.
Theauthorities, quite frequenfly, seem to be very reluctant in giving the required information. Once the personal information is in public domain, e.g Application form for a Govt job, Admission to a School, College Details furnished in a Passport Application and the details recorded in the Passport are bein rotinely denied as ” Personal Information/ Third Party Information.
Let us takre the Passport Application and the Issyed Passport in consequence to the Passport Application are Central Govt Documents / Properties and the information contained therein shoud be made available the RTI Applicant. This unfortunately is not being done
Information is information . The concerned Office holding that office has no legal right to with hold this information by arrogating to themselves. totally subjective. discretionary powers of releasing the required information as Third Party Information.
Only when the required indormation is classified as Confidential/Secret etc the release of which may effect the national security or the local law and order, all information existing, in the public domain,asked for by any RTI applicant shoud br freely made available without putting any bureaucatic delay and hindrance.
The PIOs /CPIOs should be legally qualified and any information obtained through an RTI application should be made acceptable as ” Direct” evidence without any further proving this information by calling the issuing PIO/CPIO to the concerned Court where ever it me be located.
PIOS/ CPIOS SHOULD be instructed to have liberal interpretation in favour of application requesting for information. Only the needy persons approach for the required information thrpough the RTI route.
Any unnecessary delay or reluctance to provide the required information by using / misusing the” crutch “of the very narrow interpretation of the RTI ACT provisions is most frustrating specially when the Applicant is an old Senior citizen suffering from ill health/ serious disabilities and having No other way of obtaining the required information from the Govt records/ Files. At this stage of life quite a few Senior Citizens are faced with court cases regarding usurping movable and immovable properties by fraudsters and cheats and not having any resources they are at the receiving end of injustice and misery.
Any information if it is being denied should be vetted by the CPIO so that then a direct appeal may be made to the CIC of the State thus saving time and labour.
If the appeal is upheld by the CIC of the State the CPIOs / PIOS should be held responsible for having caused harrasment /agony and financial loss suffered by delay.
PRO BONO PUBLICO
Any PIO/CPIO who is narrow minded unduly should not be allowed to function as a CPIO/PIO.
The CPIO/ PIO not relleasing thr required information and
I hope this would prevent the Ministries particularly the Central Ministries asking applicant to visit their offices to go through the files and collect the information required, knowing very well the inconvenience for the applicants in the far away States.