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Transcript of Right to Information - Study Material for My Trainees
On
(April 16-20, 2012)
Course Director Addl.Course Director:Aarti Dudeja Lalit Kumar Assistant Prof. (Public Admin) Assistant Professor(FFM)HIPA, Gurgaon HIPA, Gurgaon
VENUE: HIPA COMPLEX (NEAR IFFCO CHOWK)PLOT NO. 76, SECTOR 18, GURGAON
Organized By: Sponsored By:Haryana Institute of Public Admin. DOPT, Govt. of India.76, Sector 18, Gurgaon
Phone : 0124-2340690 E-Mail: [email protected]: 0124-2348452 Website: hipaffm.webs.com
1
Contents
Sr.
No.
Topic Page
No.
1. Introduction 3-18
2. Procedures and Framing queries under RTI 19-29
3. Tips and Guidelines 30-33
4. Orders and Cases of RTI 34-37
5. RTI in Haryana – Manual 38-53
6. Haryana RTI Rules 2005 54-96
7. RTI Rules 2009 97-110
2
Chapter 1
Introduction
Right to Information Act, 2005
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Indian federal law. For freedom of information in other
countries, see Freedom of information legislation.
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. (Consider
using more specific cleanup instructions.) Please help improve this article if you
can. The talk page may contain suggestions. (July 2010)
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this
article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (January 2011)
The Right to Information Act, 2005
An Act to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to
secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote
transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, the constitution
of a Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions and for
matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Citation Act No. 22 of 2005
Territorial
extent
Whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir
3
Enacted by Parliament of India
Date enacted 15-06-2005
Date assented
to
15-06-2005
Date
commenced
15-06-2005
The Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI) is an Act of the Parliament of India "to
provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens." The
Act applies to all States and Union Territories of India except the State of Jammu
and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir has its own act called Jammu & Kashmir Right to
Information Act, 2009. Under the provisions of the Act, any citizen may request
information from a "public authority" (a body of Government or "instrumentality of
State") which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days. The Act also
requires every public authority to computerize their records for wide dissemination
and to pro-actively publish certain categories of information so that the citizens need
minimum recourse to request for information formally. This law was passed by
Parliament on 15 June 2005 and came fully into force on 13 October 2005. [1]
Information disclosure in India was hitherto restricted by the Official Secrets Act 1923
and various other special laws, which the new RTI Act now relaxes. The formal
recognition of a legal right to information in India occurred more than two decades
before legislation was finally enacted, when the Supreme Court of India ruled in
State of U.P. v. Raj Narain that the right to information is implicit in the right to
freedom of speech and expression explicitly guaranteed in Article 19 of the Indian
Constitution.[2]
Contents
1 Framework
1.1 Freedom of Information Act 2002
1.2 State Level Laws
1.3 Right to Information movement
2 Scope
2.1 Private bodies
4
3 Right to Information
4 Process
4.1 Partial disclosure
5 RTInation
6 RTI Rates
7 Exclusions
7.1 Information Exclusions
8 Role of the government
9 Power to make rules
10 Residuary powers
11 Effects
11.1 A Great Change Maker
12 The Road A Head
12.1 Private Sector
12.2 Data Protection Law
12.3 Environmental Right to Information Law
12.4 Whistleblower protection Law
13 See Also
14 References
15 External links
Framework
Disclosure of State information in British India was (and is) governed from 1889 by
the Official Secrets Act. This law secures information related to security of the State,
sovereignty of the country and friendly relations with foreign states, and contains
provisions which prohibit disclosure of non-classified information. Civil Service
conduct rules and the Indian Evidence Act impose further restrictions on government
officials' powers to disclose information to the public.
Freedom of Information Act 2002
Passage of a national level law, however, proved to be a difficult task. Given the
experience of state governments in passing practicable legislation, the Central
Government appointed a working group under H. D. Shourie and assigned it the task
of drafting legislation. The Shourie draft, in an extremely diluted form, was the basis
5
for the Freedom of Information Bill, 2000 which eventually became law under the
Freedom of Information Act, 2002. This Act was severely criticized for permitting too
many exemptions, not only under the standard grounds of national security and
sovereignty, but also for requests that would involve "disproportionate diversion of
the resources of a public authority". There was no upper limit on the charges that
could be levied. There were no penalties for not complying with a request for
information. The FoI Act, consequently, never came into effective force..
State Level Laws
The RTI Laws were first successfully enacted by the state governments of —
Karnataka (2000), Goa (1997), Rajasthan (2000), Tamil Nadu (1997), Delhi (2001),
Maharashtra (2002), Assam (2002), Madhya Pradesh (2003), and Jammu and
Kashmir (2004). The Maharashtra and Delhi State level enactments are considered
to have been the most widely used. The Delhi RTI Act is still in force. Jammu &
Kashmir, has its own Right to Information Act of 2009, the successor to the repealed
J&K Right to Information Act, 2004 and its 2008 amendments
Right to Information movement
In early 1990s Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathana began a movement to− bring in
transparency in village accounts. Initially, MKSS lobbied government to obtain
information such as master rolls (employment and payment records) and bills and
vouchers relating to purchase and transportation of materials. This information was
then crosschecked at Jan Sunwais (public hearings) against actual testimonies of
workers. The public hearings were incredibly successful in drawing attention to
corruption and exposing leakages in the system.[3] Success of MKSS became a
source of inspiration for activists in India and led to the genesis of a broader
discourse on the right to information in India. In 1993, a first draft RTI law was
proposed by the Consumer Education and Research Council, Ahmedabad (CERC).
In 1996, the Press Council of India headed by Justice P B Sawant presented a draft
model law on the right to information to the Government of India. The draft model law
was later updated and renamed the PCI-NIRD Freedom of Information Bill 1997.
MKSS's advocacy gave rise to the National Campaign on People's Right to
Information (NCPRI), which was formed to advocate for the right to information at the
national level. In 1997 efforts to legislate for the right to information, at both the State
and National level, quickened. A working group under the chairmanship of Mr. H D
6
Shourie (the Shourie Committee) was set up by the Central Government and given
the mandate to prepare draft legislation on freedom of information. The Shourie
Committee's Report and draft law were published in 1997. The Shourie Committee
draft law passed through two successive governments, but was never introduced in
Parliament. In 1999 NDA minister Mr Ram Jethmalani, then Union Minister for Urban
Development, issued an administrative order enabling citizens to inspect and receive
photocopies of files. Shourie Committee draft law was reworked into the Freedom of
Information Bill 2000. It was passed in December 2002 and received Presidential
asset on January 2003, as the Freedom of Information Act 2002. [4] In 1998, during
the Rajasthan State elections the Congress Party promised in its election manifesto
to enact a law on right to information if it came to power. Following their election, the
Party appointed a committee of bureaucrats to draft a bill on the right to information.
As the Committee was comprised only bureaucrats, stong objections were raised by
civil society organisations, following which the members of MKSS and National
Campaign for Peoples Right to Information were invited to assist in drafting the bill.
MKSS and NCPRI conducted a host of consultations in each divisional headquarters
of the State. Drawing on the input from these consultations, a draft civil society Right
to Information Bill was prepared, which was then submitted to the Committee. The
Committee drew on the citizens draft Bill for its recommendations, but refused to
accept the Bill in toto. The Rajasthan Right to Information Act 2000 was eventually
passed on 11 May 2000. The Act in its final form retained many of the suggestions of
the RTI movement, but diluted others.[5] In the early 2000s Anna Hazare led a
movement in Maharashtra state which forced the state government to pass a
stronger Maharashtra Right to Information Act. This Act was later considered as the
base document for the Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI), enacted by the Union
Government. It also ensured that the President of India assented to this new Act. [6]
Law professor Alasdair Scott Roberts said:
The state of Maharashtra – home to one of the world's largest cities, Mumbai,
adopted a Right to Information Act in 2003, prodded by the hunger strike of
prominent activist, Anna Hazare. ("All corruption can end only if there is freedom of
information," said Hazare, who resumed his strike in February 2004 to push for
better enforcement of the Act).[7]
7
In 2004, under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, the Congress party won the national
elections and formed the central government. Aruna Roy was inducted into the
National Advisory Committee (NAC), an extremely powerful but extra-constitutional
quasi-governmental body headed by Sonia Gandhi which effectively supervises the
working of the common minimum program of UPA II . [8] Aruna Roy submitted a paper
recommending amendments to the 2002 Freedom of Information Act to the NAC
which in turn sent by it to the Prime Minister's Office. The Right to Information Bill
2004 (RTI Bill 2004) was tabled on 23 December during the winter session of the
Lok Sabha. The RTI Bill 2004 was based largely on recommendations submitted to
the Government by the NAC which was passed by the Indian parliament in 2005. [9]
On 20 July 2006 the Union Cabinet amended the Right to Information Act 2005 to
exclude the file noting by the government officials from its purview. Hazare began his
fast unto death on 9 August 2006 in Alandi against the proposed amendment. He
ended his fast on 19 August 2006, after the government agreed to change its earlier
decision.[10]
Scope
The Act covers the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir, where J&K Right to
Information Act is in force. It is applicable to all constitutional authorities, including
the executive, legislature and judiciary; any institution or body established or
constituted by an act of Parliament or a state legislature. It is also defined in the Act
that bodies or authorities established or constituted by order or notification of
appropriate government including bodies "owned, controlled or substantially
financed" by government, or non-Government organizations "substantially financed,
directly or indirectly by funds" provided by the government are also covered in it.
Private bodies
Private bodies are not within the Act's ambit directly. In a landmark decision of 30-
Nov-2006 ('Sarbajit Roy versus DERC') the Central Information Commission also
reaffirmed that privatized public utility companies continue to be within the RTI Act-
their privatization not withstanding.
Right to Information
The Act empowers every citizen to:
Ask any questions from the Government or seek any information.
Take copies of any governmental documents.
8
Inspect any governmental documents.
Inspect any Governmental works.
Take samples of materials of any Governmental work.
or
Process
Under the Act, all authorities covered must appoint their Public Information Officer
(PIO). Any person may submit a request to the PIO for information in writing. It is the
PIO's obligation to provide information to citizens of India who request information
under the Act. If the request pertains to another public authority (in whole or part), it
is the PIO's responsibility to transfer/forward the concerned portions of the request to
a PIO of the other within 5 working days. In addition, every public authority is
required to designate Assistant Public Information Officers (APIOs) to receive RTI
requests and appeals for forwarding to the PIOs of their public authority. The
applicant is not required to disclose any information or reasons other than his name
and contact particulars to seek the information. "ApplyRTI" [6] and "Rtination" [7] are
the online system which facilitates the filing of RTI (Right To Information Act, India)
applications online. It aims primarily at minimizing the time taken and effort required
in filing an application. The Act specifies time limits for replying to the request.
If the request has been made to the PIO, the reply is to be given within 30
days of receipt.
If the request has been made to an APIO, the reply is to be given within 35
days of receipt.
If the PIO transfers the request to another public authority (better concerned
with the information requested), the time allowed to reply is 30 days but
computed from the day after it is received by the PIO of the transferee
authority.
Information concerning corruption and Human Rights violations by scheduled
Security agencies (those listed in the Second Schedule to the Act) is to be
provided within 45 days but with the prior approval of the Central Information
Commission.
However, if life or liberty of any person is involved, the PIO is expected to
reply within 48 hours.
9
Since the information is to be paid for, the reply of the PIO is necessarily limited to
either denying the request (in whole or part) and/or providing a computation of
"further fees". The time between the reply of the PIO and the time taken to deposit
the further fees for information is excluded from the time allowed. If information is not
provided within this period, it is treated as deemed refusal. Refusal with or without
reasons may be ground for appeal or complaint. Further, information not provided in
the times prescribed is to b e provided free of charge. For Central Departments as of
2006, there is a fee of 10 for filing the request, 2 per page of information and 5 for
each hour of inspection after the first hour. If the applicant is a Below Poverty Card
holder(BPL), then no fee shall apply. Such BPL Card holders have to provide a copy
of their BPL card along with their application to the Public Authority. States
Government and High Courts fix their own rules.
Partial disclosure
The Act allows those part(s) of the record which are not exempt from disclosure and
which can reasonably be severed from parts containing exempt information to be
provided.
RTInation
RTInation is an online system which, for a fee, facilitates the filing of RTI applications
online. It primarily aims at minimizing time taken and effort required in filing an
application. Typically a PIO needs to reply within 30–40 days of receiving an
application. Assistance is also provided for submitting further appeals.
The portal also provides information about the Right To Information Act, 2005, it
hosts a forum to discuss issues of common interest, directions on drafting a good
application. It stocks sample applications, success stories of applications filed so far
and several FAQ's.
RTI Rates
1. Application Fee The application for obtaining information under sub-section (1) of
section 6 of RTI Act, 2005, must be accompanied by prescribed application fee
drawn in favour of Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd. payable at the local office
where the application has been submitted. At present the application fee, which is
subject to change from time to time, is as under:- Application fee : Rs. 10/- (Rupees
ten only) Mode of payment: By cash against proper receipt or by demand
draft/banker's cheque/Indian Postal Order drawn in favour of ‘Rural Electrification
10
Corporation Ltd.’ payable at local office where the application is submitted. Persons
who belong to BPL category are not required to pay the application fee provided
necessary documents in support are produced. 2. Additional Fee In case it is
decided to provide the information, the applicant shall be informed of the additional
fees required to be deposited by him/her for the information sought and information
shall be furnished after the deposit of the fee by the Requester, as per the Act. In
accordance to directives given in the above mentioned Gazette notification dated
16/09/2005, for providing the information under sub-section (1) of Section 7, an
additional fee shall be charged. At present, the applicable rates, which are subject to
change from time to time, are given as under,:- a. For each page (in A-4 or A-3 size
paper) created or copied Rs. 2/- per page b. For a copy in larger size paper Actual
charge or cost price c. For samples or models Actual cost or price d. For inspection
of records No fee for the first hour; Rs.5/hr. thereafter Further, for providing the
information under sub-section (5) of Section 7, the fee shall be charged at the
following rates:- a. For information provided in diskette or floppy Rs. 50/-(Rupees fifty
only) per diskette or floppy b.For information provided in printed form At the price
fixed for such publication or Rs.2/- per page of photocopy for extracts from the
publication The mode of payment of above mentioned additional fees shall be the
same as application fee.
Exclusions
Central Intelligence and Security agencies specified in the Second Schedule like
IB,Directorate General of Income tax(Investigation), RAW, Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Central Economic
Intelligence Bureau, Directorate of Enforcement, Narcotics Control Bureau, Aviation
Research Centre, Special Frontier Force, BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, NSG, Assam
Rifles, Special Service Bureau, Special Branch (CID), Andaman and Nicobar, The
Crime Branch-CID-CB, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Special Branch, Lakshadweep
Police. Agencies specified by the State Governments through a Notification will also
be excluded. The exclusion, however, is not absolute and these organizations have
an obligation to provide information pertaining to allegations of corruption and human
rights violations. Further, information relating to allegations of human rights violation
could be given but only with the approval of the Central or State Information
Commission
11
Information Exclusions
The following is exempt from disclosure [S.8)]
Information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and
integrity of India, the security, "strategic, scientific or economic" interests of
the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offense;
Information which has been expressly forbidden to be published by any court
of law or tribunal or the disclosure of which may constitute contempt of court;
Information, the disclosure of which would cause a breach of privilege of
Parliament or the State Legislature;
Information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual
property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a
third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public
interest warrants the disclosure of such information;
Information available to a person in his fiduciary relationship, unless the
competent authority is satisfied that the larger public interest warrants the
disclosure of such information;
Information received in confidence from foreign Government;
Information, the disclosure of which would endanger the life or physical safety
of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in
confidence for law enforcement or security purposes;
Information which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension
or prosecution of offenders;
Cabinet papers including records of deliberations of the Council of Ministers,
Secretaries and other officers;
Information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has
no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause
unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual (but it is also provided
that the information which cannot be denied to the Parliament or a State
Legislature shall not be denied by this exemption);
Notwithstanding any of the exemptions listed above, a public authority may
allow access to information, if public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm
to the protected interests. (NB: This provision is qualified by the proviso to
12
sub-section 11(1) of the Act which exempts disclosure of "trade or commercial
secrets protected by law" under this clause when read along with 8(1)(d))
Role of the government
Section 26 of the Act enjoins the central government, as also the state governments
of the Union of India (excluding J&K), to initiate necessary steps to:
Develop educational programs for the public especially disadvantaged
communities on RTI.
Encourage Public Authorities to participate in the development and
organization of such programs.
Promote timely dissemination of accurate information to the public.
Train officers and develop training materials.
Compile and disseminate a User Guide for the public in the respective official
language.
Publish names, designation postal addresses and contact details of PIOs and
other information such as notices regarding fees to be paid, remedies
available in law if request is rejected etc.
Power to make rules
The Central Government, State Governments and the Competent Authorities
as defined in S.2(e) are vested with powers to make rules to carry out the
provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005. (S.27 & S.28)
Residuary powers
If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions in the Act, the Central
Government may, by Order published in the Official Gazette, make provisions
necessary/expedient for removing the difficulty. (S.30)
Effects
In the first year of National RTI, 42,876 (not yet official) applications for information
were filed to Central (i.e. Federal) public authorities. Of these 878 were disputed at
the final appellate stage - the Central Information Commission at New Delhi. A few of
these decisions have thereafter been mired in further legal controversy in the various
High Courts of India. The first stay order against a final appellate decision of the
Central Information Commission was granted on 3.May.2006 by the High Court of
Delhi in WP(C)6833-35/2006 cited as "NDPL & Ors. versus Central Information
Commission & Ors". The Government of India's purported intention in 2006 to
13
amend the RTI Act was postponed after public disquiet, but has been revived again
in 2009 by the DoPT.
A Great Change Maker
Right to Information is a fundamental human right, crucial to human development,
and a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights: civil and political rights
such as the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, and equality before the
law; and economic, social and cultural rights such as right to adequate food, right to
water, right to highest attainable standard of health, right to education. As seen from
these examples, RTI has become a friend in need, making life easier and honorable
for common people and empowers them to request and access public services
successfully.[11]
Eight year old Aishwarya wrote a three-point application to the public information
officer (PIO) of the Chief Minister’s office seeking an answer to why the garbage is
being dumped in front of her school[12]
Nine year old Pranav forced Delhi police to register a First Information Report (FIR)
to trace his lost bicycle by filing an application under the RTI Act.3 70 year old
Kaniram got his entitlements of food grain under Public Distribution System (PDS)
that was denied to him for one year.
People from Golaghat finds an enquiry team has detected huge quantities of rice and
sugar stored in an unauthorised manner. After RTI disclosure, a large-scale
diversion of food materials meant for people living below poverty line was
discovered. [13]
The Road A Head
Ever since the U.N. General Assembly recognized freedom of information as a
fundamental human right in 1946, many nations started adopting laws assuring right
to access information held by public authorities. So far more than 80 countries have
enacted freedom of information laws.
Private Sector
“Public authority” defined under sub-section (h) of section 2 should include:
‘Organisations in the private sector, which exercise functions of a public nature’. This
measure will facilitate the right to information pronounced by Section 6 (b) of the
Consumer Protection Act 1986.
Data Protection Law
14
We do not have a separate law to obtain personal information related to the
requester himself. The RTI Act is being used for both purposes, i.e. to obtain
personal information as well as non-personal information, which sometimes creates
confusion.
Environmental Right to Information Law
Environmental Right to information laws provide access to environmental information
with fewer exceptions, subject to public interest test covering private bodies.
Environmental Information Regulations 2004 are in force in U.K.
Whistleblower protection Law
See also: Whistleblower protection in India
A whistleblower is defined as someone who exposes wrongdoing, fraud, corruption
or mismanagement. In many cases, this could be a person who works for the
government who would report misconduct within the government or it could be an
employee of a private company who reports corrupt practices within the company.
The law that a government enacts to protect such persons who help expose
corruption is called a whistleblower protection law.[14]
Since 2010, a number of RTI Activists have been attacked or murdered. Asian
Center of Human rights claims RTI activists are the most vulnerable human rights
defenders (HRDs) of India.[15]. ACHR is seeking enforced government laws for
protection of whistle-blowers.
Several countries have already put in place laws to protect whistleblowers or are in
the process of doing so. However, the level of protection and the way in which the
law operates differs from country to country. For instance, the US was one of the
earliest to have the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, while the UK has the
Public Interest Disclosure Act of 1998, and Norway has a similar law in place since
January 2007.[14]
See Also
Attacks on RTI Activist in India
Whistleblower protection in India
Citizen's Charter and Grievance Redressal Bill 2011
References
15
1. ^ The effective date is often incorrectly referred to as 12 October 2005.
The Act actually came to force on the midnight between the 12th and 13th,
which means that it came into effect from the 13th onwards.
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ [2]
4. ^ [3]
5. ^ [4]
6. ^ Florini, Ann. The Right to Know: Transparency for an Open World.
New York: Columbia University Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-231-14158-1.
http://books.google.com/books?
id=hSaXTqOv6rAC&pg=PA24&dq=Anna+Hazare+RTI+movement&hl=en&ei=
HUOdTc_vH8XPrQeF_v2jAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ve
d=0CC8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Anna%20Hazare%20RTI
%20movement&f=false.
7. ^ Roberts, Alasdair. Blacked Out: Government Secrecy in the
Information Age. Cambridge University Press. p. 3. ISBN 9780521858700.
http://books.google.com/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=FtmydcQkMx0C&oi=fnd&pg=PP15&dq=Anna+Hazare&ots=8Lo
AuXzMRk&sig=xuKQ3H7Ch16dfoZRAz4b31yV9CM#v=onepage&q=Anna
%20Hazare&f=false.
8. ^ Visionaries: The 20th Century's 100 Most Important Inspirational
Leaders, by Satish Kumar, Freddie Whitefield. Published by Chelsea Green
Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1933392533. Page 139.
9. ^ [5]
10. ^ "Anna Hazare calls off fast on RTI amendment". The Times of India.
19 August 2006.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-08-19/india/27813455_1_rti-
amendment-anna-hazare-anti-corruption-crusader. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
11. ^ Center for Good Governance
12. ^ No childs play this
13. ^ After RTI disclosure, raids reveal PDS rice in godown
14. ^ a b India doesn't have a law to protect whistleblower
15. ^ RTI Activists Sitting Ducks of India
16
External links
Government of India links
CIC - The Central Information Commission is empowered to decide
complaints and appeals arising from use of the Right to Information
Act, 2005.
CIC Online - New website of the Central Information Commission.
DoPT - The Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, is charged with being the
nodal agency for the Right to Information Act, 2005. It has the powers
to make rules regarding appeals, fees, etc.
Right to Information Act Portal
Complete text of the Right to Information Act
Online groups discussing the Right to Information Act
RTI Activists Forum Online Assistance from RTI Activists
http://www.rtination.com RTINATION, Online discussion group for RTI
activists
RTI INDIA, Online community portal for Right to Information
RTI INDIA Yahoo RTI e-group
Online News & works of RTI Activists
RTI Activist News is a News portal where news,views and articles from Right
to Information Activist and General Public across India are published, RTI
Activist's and all citizens can send in their findings in the form of Articles and
News along with the evidences which is published,without any edit,This
website aims and works not just as a forum, but a place for delivering details
of happenings across India which are revealed under Right to Information Act
and Peoples struggles by the Activists, Along with related News which effects
the common Man.
RTI Application Forms Please download forms for filing RTI Application
Online filing of RTI Application
www.applyrti.com File RTI instantly online.
www.getup4change.org Website for the collation of Information Retrieved
through Indian RTI and file RTIs Anonymously.
17
Wikify India Initiative to publicly describe procedures of various government
departments for common citizen services, like RTI applications, issue of
passports, driving licenses etc, "to make navigation through India’s mind-
numbing bureaucracy easier."
Ushering in Transparency for Good Governance Centre for Good
Governance, Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP)
Case Studies and Success Stories Sakshi Trust
[show]
Corruption in India
[show]
Freedom of information legislation by
country
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Right_to_Information_Act,_2005&oldid=487791379"
18
Chapter 2
Procedures and Framing queries under RTI1
When and how should RTI be used? What are the steps involved in filing an RTI
application, receiving information, preferring appeal, exposing corruption, etc.? All
such questions are answered in a logical and easy-to-understand manner. A step-by-
step path is laid out for you, supplemented by relevant formats & desirable forms.
You are also given tips on framing questions, a very important aspect, so you can
avoid pitfalls on the path of RTI.
We strongly recommend that before you go through this chapter, you read "Intro to
RTI for Beginners" to make a fairly good practical use of the Right to Information Act,
2005.
Step 1 - Research or complain
Before you file an RTI application, you must thoroughly explore the content on the
website of the concerned Public Authority. You may find the information there that
you desire. This will save you and and the PIO a lot of trouble and money.
You may want to start by filing a complaint about your grievance, and then follow it up
after about 10-15 days with an RTI application seeking details of the action taken on
it.
Step 2 - Filing an RTI application
Citizens normally take to the RTI route after exhausting all other avenues. The RTI
journey begins with filing an application. It is filed under section 6(1) but you don't
have to mention this section.
Format
1. You can apply on a plain paper or on a letter head in English, Hindi or local
language.
2. You may also choose to use the form designed by us. Go to the Downloads
section.
1 The data is taken from http://www.nyayabhoomi.org/right-to-information/step-by-step-procedures and http://www.nyayabhoomi.org/right-to-information/how-to-frame-queries
19
3. The RTI Act says that you can apply electronically but you should ignore that
provision because there are many practical difficulties, least of all the problem
with paying the fee.
Finding the right PIO
1. Visit the website of the Public Authority for the name, designation and address
of the correct PIO. Look for "RTI" or "Right to Information" link or icon.
2. Also visit http://rti.gov.in. Many central government departments are listed on
this website.
3. Visit the official portal of the state government and the State Information
Commission. You may find PIO details of many departments there.
4. Visit the local office of the concerned Public Authority and try to obtain PIO
details.
5. If you can't find RTI link on the website of the concerned department, learn to
use Google's advanced search facility. This will unearth hidden and deep-
buried content on the website. For example, type the following in Google's
search box:-"right to information" site:http://www.sitename.com OR, rti
site:http://www.sitename.com.
6. If there are multiple PIOs in a department and you are not sure who is the right
one, just send your application to any one and he will either collect and provide
you the information himself or forward it to the right PIO under intimation to
you.
7. In case the Public Authority has not appointed a PIO or you are unable to find
one in spite of your best efforts, prepare your application addressed to the
"Public Information Officer". Write a covering letter addressed to the head of
the department, requesting him to forward it to the PIO. Address the envelope
to the head of the department and send it by Regd./Speed Post so that it gets
accepted at the other end.
Fee
1. Your application must be accompanied by fee. For details of fee structure for
different States and the Centre, please visit "Fees, Rules, Commissions".
2. On the above page, you will also find the mode of payment for different States
and the Centre.
3. If you are paying by postal order, make sure that you write in your application
20
as follows - "I am leaving the 'pay to' field blank. Please fill it in yourself."
Submitting application
1. The easiest method of submitting an application is through Registered or
Speed Post accompanied by Postal Order. Don't use a courier because it is
not a legally acceptable proof of delivery.
2. Second easiest method is to submit it at a Post Office and pay the fee in cash.
Many post offices across the country act as APIOs for most of the central
government Public Authorities.
3. The last method is to go to the offices of the Public Authority and meet either
the PIO or the APIO and deposit your application along with the appropriate
fee either in cash or through postal order. Often, there is a desk or a clerk
deputed for the purpose of receiving such applications. Try to obtain
acknowledgment on the photocopy of the application as well as a receipt for
the fee.
Step 3 - PIO writes to you or he does not reply at all
The PIO replies to you under section 7(1). He may write to you in a number of ways.
He may provide you the information, provide you partial information, reject your
application on valid or invalid grounds or ask for deposit of further fee. Some of the
key scenarios are explained below.
Application transferred
1. If the transfer is justified, simply wait for information from the transferee PIO.
2. If the transfer is not done within 5 days, file a complaint under section 18 with
the Information Commission.
Citizenship proof demanded
1. File another RTI application before the same PIO and request information as
to the number of applications received by him since he became a PIO, the
number of cases in which he demanded proof of citizenship and the reasons
for demanding proof of citizenship in each case.
2. Also file a complaint under section 18 with the Information Commission.
3. If the information is of urgent nature, you may submit proof of citizenship but
also lodge complaint under section 18. To avoid vindictiveness on the part of
the PIO, the RTI application mentioned at point 1 may be filed on behalf of a
21
friend.
No reply
1. If no reply is received within 40 days, prefer first appeal.
2. Also file a complaint under section 18 with the Information Commission.
Partial information supplied
1. If you are not satisfied, go for first appeal.
2. If partial information is supplied and fee is demanded for the rest, you can
either pay or prefer an appeal.
Demand for further fee
1. If the PIO demands further fee, he has to
1. show complete calculation as to how he arrived at this figure,
2. state that you have the right to review of fee,
3. advise you the name, designation and address of the person before
whom you can request a review, and
4. tell you the process and time frame for review of the fee.
2. You should normally pay fee within 15 days.
3. In case of any grievance, you can prefer first appeal against the fee or against
the reply itself.
Incorrect information supplied
1. Prefer first appeal.
Correct and comprehensive info provided
1. Write a letter of thanks to the PIO as a matter of courtesy. You may also need
his service/assistance later in life.
Step 4a - Preferring First Appeal
First appeal is preferred under section 19(1).
Important points to remember
1. Always give the benefit of doubt to the PIO and wait for extra 10 days to allow
for the transit time. Governments work slowly.
2. Write your preliminary comments as well as para-wise comments on the reply
of the PIO. That makes it easier for the Appellate Authority (AA) to deal with
your appeal.
Finding the right Appellate Authority (AA)
1. If the PIO has sent you any communication, he may have included the details
22
of the first AA. He is duty bound to include this information if he has rejected
part or whole of your request.
2. Or, visit the website of the Public Authority for the name, designation and
address of the correct AA.
3. Also visit http://rti.gov.in. Many central government departments are listed on
this website.
4. If there are multiple AAs and you are not sure which one is correct AA for you,
just send it to any one. He will either deal with your appeal himself or forward it
to the right AA under intimation to you.
5. In case you don't find any AA at all, send the appeal addressed to the "First
Appellate Authority" with a covering letter addressed to the PIO, telling him
that since he has not provided the details of the AA, he can forward it to the
correct AA.
Format
1. You can apply on a plain paper or on a letter head in English, Hindi or local
language.
2. You may also choose to use the form designed by us. Go to the Downloads
section.
3. You may email first appeal together with enclosures in scanned format. Mark a
copy to [email protected] so that there is a record that it was actually
sent. We keep such a record forever.
Suggested "Relief Sought"
1. The information sought be provided immediately free of cost.
2. Compensation be provided for not supplying me information within the
prescribed time limit.
3. Disciplinary action be initiated against erring officers for not complying with the
law.
Fee
1. There is no fee for first appeal.
2. Many states have prescribed a nominal fee for first appeal. This is illegal and
should be challenged in the respective High Court.
Submitting appeal
1. The easiest method of submitting an appeal is through Registered or Speed
23
Post. Don't use a courier because it is not a legally acceptable proof of
delivery.
2. Or, go to the offices of the Public Authority and deposit it. Do obtain
acknowledgment on the photocopy of the appeal.
Step 4b - Lodging Complaint with the Central/State Information Commissioner
1. A cause may arise at any point in the whole process of using the RTI.
2. There is no prescribed format for lodging a complaint, but we strongly
recommend that you use the template designed by us. Go to the Downloads
section. This is similar to the format for second appeal but certain unnecessary
portions have been discarded.
3. Follow all steps described for preferring 2nd appeal, subsequent hearing,
decision, etc.
Step 5 - Hearing in First Appeal
1. Some AAs may call you for a hearing, whilst many other do not. If you do not
attend the hearing, a decision will be given in your absence on the basis of
documents/merit.
2. If you go for a hearing, take all relevant documents with you.
3. Do not come under pressure to withdraw any part of the application or appeal.
4. Remember that AA is the boss of the PIO and both are likely to be well-
wishers of each other.
5. Try to avoid bringing your grievance into the picture. Focus on the technical
and legal points and the information you have sought. If, however, you feel
that the hearing is an opportunity to get your grievance resolved or get justice,
use the opportunity. Remember that the AA is a fairly senior person in that
department and carries a lot of influence who can get your grievance resolved.
6. If the information is important but not urgent and you feel that the PIO has no
vested interest in the information, be kind to him and allow him more time.
7. Finally, what is important is the "Decision" which you may receive within 3 to
15 days.
Step 6 - Preferring Second Appeal in Central/State Information Commission
Second appeal is preferred under section 19(3).
Format
1. Correct format is not necessary but desirable. Information Commissions are
24
known to reject a large percentage of appeals due to their non-conformity with
the format and compliance to regulations.
2. We strongly recommend that you use the template designed by us. Go to the
Downloads section. All the nonsense such as verification, certificate, double-
spacing etc. are incorporated.
3. Online filing of appeals is still at a nascent stage. We do not recommend it yet.
4. Copy of every annexure attached to the original copy should be self-attested.
Drafting tips
1. Make all PIOs Respondents. You may also like to include AA as a
Respondent.
2. If there has been no response from the PIO and the AA, you must also include
proof of dispatch/delivery of the application/appeal.
Suggested "Relief Sought"
1. Complete and comprehensive information be provided to the Appellant in one
batch free of cost immediately.
2. Compensation be provided to the Appellant u/s 19(8)(b) for not supplying
information within the prescribed time limit.
3. U/s 19(8)(b), the Public Authority be ordered to reimburse the Appellant
towards traveling and lodging-boarding expenses for attending the hearing.
Disciplinary action be recommended against the Respondent(s) u/s 20(2).
4. Penalty be imposed on the PIO u/s 20(1).
5. An entry in service book/annual appraisal report of the concerned PIO & FAA
be made for defying the provisions of the Act.
Where to send
1. For all central government Public Authorities, send your appeal to the Central
Information Commission. For Public Authorities of state govt., send it to
respective State Information Commission.
Fee
1. No fee is payable.
How to submit
1. Send a copy to every Respondent.
2. Send the original + copy to the Information Commission.
25
3. No fee is payable.
Step 7 - Pursuing Information Commission for Status
1. Almost all Information Commissions are inefficient and known to lose your files
- sometimes even before your appeal gets registered.
2. Some Information Commissions have the facility to check the status of your
appeal online.
3. You may send reminders through Registered or Speed Post every 2-3 weeks.
4. If you are not getting any response, file an RTI application with the Information
Commission and ask for the status of your appeal.
5. Visit the Commission and check with the officials.
6. Finally, sit on a dharna outside the Information Commission and shame the
officials into giving you the status of your appeal. In Delhi, we may sit with you.
Step 8 - Hearing in Second Appeal
1. In most cases, you will be called for a hearing which you must try to attend. If
you do not attend, a decision will be given in your absence on the basis of
documents/merit.
2. If you go for the hearing, take all relevant documents with you.
3. Some Information Commissioners may try to intimidate you. Don't be.
4. Try to avoid bringing your grievance into the picture. Focus on the technical
and legal points and the information you have sought.
5. If the information is important but not urgent and you feel that the PIO has no
vested interest in the information and has generally acted honestly and
diligently, be kind to him and allow him more time.
6. Finally, what is important is the "Decision" which you should receive within 7 to
30 days.
7. Some Information Commissions post most of their decisions on their website.
Keep checking the website to see if your decision has been posted.
Step 9 - If You do not Get Information Even After Commission's Order
You still don't get information even after Commission's order
1. Wait for the number days granted by the Commission to the PIO + 10 days
and then write a complaint-letter to the Commission. Seek imposition of
penalty and disciplinary action against the PIO.
2. If the Commission does not respond within two months, go to the High Court of
26
your state by way of a writ.
Not satisfied with the Commission's order
1. Ask for a review by writing a detailed letter to the Chief Information
Commissioner. Clarify why you think a review is necessary.
2. Or, go to the High Court of your state.
3. Or, plan public/people's action against the Commission, especially if the
Information Commission has been clearly biased and rude and has either
threatened or intimidated you.
How to frame queries
Know Public Authority
The more you already know about the functioning of the government in general and
the concerned public authority in particular, the more effective your questions will be.
So try to get the application vetted by someone who is from within the system.
Write a summary - if necessary - of the background. This summary is only meant to
clarify what information you are requesting. Provide all relevant information already
available with you on the subject to PIO to facilitate early locating of records at his
end.
Format
1. Write your queries in the form of a numbered list so that the PIO can provide
information in the same sequence. This numbering should be ideally
maintained at all levels including first appeal, second appeal, complaints, etc.
2. You may write as many paras or sub-paras as you want in a single application.
There is no limit to the amount of information you may seek in a single
application. The initial fee payable will remain the same. Having said this, it is
advisable to break an application into smaller parts according to subjects. This
will help both the PIO in providing the information and you in keeping track of
what is received.
3. Each point/para should deal with just one piece of information or work or
record. You may write sub-paras or sub-points.
4. Be firm but polite. Do not take out your anger in the RTI application. Focus on
the need for information and ask for it in a courteous manner.
Writing queries
1. Be specific about the information you need, or the work and records that you
27
want to inspect, or the certified samples of materials that you want to collect.
2. Don't be overzealous and add queries which may confuse the PIO and will not
be of much use to you.
3. If you know the sections of RTI act or decisions of CIC/SIC which are in favour
of your query, do mention the same at the end of respective queries. For
example... (refer to CIC decision No. ........ dated .......)
4. Since the RTI Act defines information as "any material in any form", some
PIOs and Information Commissioners interpret it narrowly and do not entertain
your requests that are in the form of questions which begin with "why, where,
how, explain" etc. They state that you cannot ask for Advice, Explanations,
Opinions or Roving inquiries. It is, therefore, suggested that you phrase your
request in a manner that it doesn't look like a question. For example, instead
of asking "How long will the process of verification take", you should write
"According to your citizens charter, please advise the number of days or the
amount of time it takes at each stage for the purpose of verification." Similarly,
instead of asking the question "Why have you not repaired the roads?", you
should ask for (i) copy of the contract, (ii) samples of material from five
locations of your choice of a road (to test and compare with specifications), (iii)
names and contact details of the officials who certified the quality of the road,
and (iii) budgetary or financial information indicating how much money has
been allocated, spent or paid. By putting together all of the above information,
you can draw conclusions and expose corruption, if any.
5. It often becomes impossible to avoid asking questions. Go ahead and ask.
Nothing stops you. And then fight the PIO tooth and nail all the way to the High
Court if he refuses to answer your simple queries such as "Has any action
been taken on my complaint so far?". There is no better way of seeking this
information other than by way of asking this simple question. A Commissioner
or a Judge with common sense will know this.
Purpose in mind
Focus sharply on the purpose of seeking information in the first place. Frame your
queries in a way that it will make it impossible for the public authority to wriggle out.
They might just want to help serve your purpose instead of providing information.
Often, it is also a good strategy to ask for information which is not relevant to your
28
issue but which will force the PIO to take into account the true intent behind seeking
information.
Which Rules to follow
1. Your place of residence is of no relevance when deciding which rules are to be
followed.
2. If you want information from public authorities which are part of the Central
Government, then follow the rules of Central Government irrespective of the
location of the office of Public Authority. For example, all branches of the State
Bank of India will follow Central Government's rules.
3. If you want information from a Public Authority which is part of a State
Government, you need to follow rules of that state. For example if you want
details of an emporium owned by Tamilnadu Government but which is situated
in Delhi, you have to follow the rules of Tamilnadu Government.
4. In the case of High Courts and the Supreme Court, rules specially framed by
these authorities will have to be followed, while applying for information from
these Courts.
29
Chapter 3
Tips and Guidelines2
A major cause of our disillusionment with the system lies in our failure to assert our
rights. When a government officer expects bribe, or gives us a below par receipt
against money tendered, or does not perform his duties diligently, we fail to report the
matter to his superiors. We never complain; because we think nothing will come out
of it. We accept things as they are; because we think that the things will not change.
In other words, we do not walk because we have no hope of reaching the destination.
Act, don't remain indifferent
We need to change this mentality that thrusts apathy upon us. For a start, every time
we are short-changed at the hands of the government, we should write a letter of
complaint to the concerned person or the vigilance officer of his department. Many a
time, it works magic. When it does not, under the RTI Act, ask for the report of action
taken on your complaint and seek other pertinent information.
General guidelines and tips
1. Do not use couriers, ordinary post or UPC. Registered post or Speed post are
the best methods and they are accepted as legal proof of transmission. If you
are sending anything by email or fax, make sure that you keep a good proof of
it.
2. Before you prepare your application or appeal, you should read the rules
framed by the concerned State Government or the High Court.
3. Even if you do not intend to carry out actual inspection of records, include a
request as under in the application: “On receipt of information under this
application, I intend to carry out inspection of records at your office to verify the
information provided. Please advise me a date and time for inspection which
should follow approx.15 days after providing me written information."
4. Try to restrict one application to one subject. Split your requirements across
multiple applications according to subjects. It makes the job of the PIO easier
and he is more likely to provide you good quality information and provide it
sooner.
5. Ask for a free copy of the Citizens' Charter" to be supplied with the reply.
If you wish to remain anonymous
2 The data is retrieved from http://www.nyayabhoomi.org/right-to-information/tips-and-guidelines 30
If you want to seek information that may adversely affect vested interests or may
cause you financial or physical injury, you should request your distant relative or a
friend or an RTI activist from another state to file the RTI application desired by you.
Send him completed application form in his name and address and give him
directions on how to pay the fee and submit the application.
Forcing the government to act against corruption
Government departments normally ignore your complaints and reports of corruption.
To force them to act on them, use the strategy as follows:
1. Write a letter of complaint to the "vigilance wing/cell" of the concerned
department.
2. Send a copy of the letter to other appropriate agencies such as CBI, CVC, DG
of Police, Anti-Corruption Branch of the state government, Chief Minister, etc.
by registered or speed post. Instead of writing "Copies to the following", write
"Copies to the following with the request to take suitable action".
3. Two weeks later, submit RTI applications with not only the concerned
department, but all other agencies to whom copies of the letter were sent. The
RTI applications are meant to seek the status of your complaint and the action
taken on it.
4. Since the CBI, CVC etc. have to provide you the information requested, they
will have to first obtain this information from the concerned public authority by
writing to them. Imagine a government officer receiving a letter from CBI
talking about corruption and seeking a status report. (The battle against
inclusion of CBI in the list of exempt organisations is underway)
How to use information obtained under the RTI
You have obtained information from the government department and you have got
evidence of corruption in your hands. What do you do now? The next step would be
to let common people know and bring the guilty to book. Some of the effective
methods are listed below:
1. Arrange information in an easy-to-understand manner and give it to media.
2. Submit your findings to various vigilance agencies such as CBI, Central
Vigilance Commission, local police, etc. and ask them to take action. Also
request them to tell you within 15 days what action has been taken.
3. Write to the senior-most officer of the concerned department and mark copies
31
to your local MLA, MP, Chief Minister, Prime Minister, High Court, etc. Send
them all proof and ask them to take action, and give you a status report within
15 days.
4. After a gap of 3 to 4 weeks, file RTI applications with every government
agency to whom you had sent your findings, and demand status report on your
complaint. Since they have to give you the status report, and they cannot
afford to say “we have done nothing”, they will first take action and then give
you a positive status report. If nothing at all, they will start some sort of an
inquiry in the matter. You should file an application every month for an update
on the status of the inquiry/investigation.
5. Make your findings public through media, your personal contacts,
NGOs/RWAs and by holding street or colony level meetings.
6. Plan and organize a Jan Sunwai and invite the media, RWAs, other NGOs,
politicians, etc. It is a gathering of affected and interested people before whom
all facts, records and evidences are placed.
Use other laws in combination with RTI Act
The RTI Act is not the only law that gives right of access to information. Beyond the
RTI Act, there are some stronger provisions in other laws which promote
transparency:
1. The PDS (Control) (Amendment) Order, 2004, which came into force on
29.06.04 enables citizens to directly seek information from a fair price shop
owner. Punishment for withholding information may extend upto 3 months
imprisonment. This Order is stronger than the RTI Act itself.
2. For getting financial assistance under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban
Renewal Mission (JNNURM), states are required to enact a Public Disclosure
Law and a Community Participation Law to strengthen people's Right to Know.
3. In or before 2010, Reserve Bank of India advised banks to convey in writing
the reasons for rejection of loan applications.
4. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (NREGA) Operational
Guidelines 2006, prescribed by the Ministry of Rural Development Department
goes one step ahead in facilitating transparency by reducing time limit for
disclosure of the records requested under the RTI Act to seven days and
further fees for obtaining information to actual photocopying costs. Let the Sun
32
shine brightly on Indian administration!
33
Chapter 4
Orders and Cases of RTI3
The major orders and cases of RTI for learning provides the following conclusions:
1. “Access to information, under Section 3 of the Act, is the rule and exemptions
under Section 8, the exception. Section 8, being a restriction on this
fundamental right, must, therefore, is to be strictly construed. It should not be
interpreted in manner as to shadow the very right itself. Under Section 8,
exemption from releasing information is granted if it would impede the process
of investigation or the prosecution of the offenders. It is apparent that the
mere existence of an investigation process cannot be a ground for refusal of
the information; the authority withholding information must show satisfactory
reasons as to why the release of such information would hamper the
investigation process. Such reasons should be germane, and the opinion of
the process being hampered should be reasonable and based on some
material. Sans this consideration, Section 8(1)(h) and other such provisions
would become the haven for dodging demands for information.” (Delhi High
Court in a judgment in WP(C) No. 3114/2007 decided on 03.12.2007)
2. File notings have to be disclosed. (Several orders of the CIC and various
SICs)
3. Through this Order, the Commission now wants to send the message loud
and clear that quoting provisions of Section 8 of the RTI Act ad libitum to deny
the information without giving any justification or grounds as to how these
provisions are applicable is simply unacceptable and clearly amounts to mala
fide denial of legitimate information attracting penalties under section 20(1).
(CIC/OK/A/2006/00163 dated 07.07.06)
4. The PIO has to give the reasons for rejection of the request for information as
required under Section 7(8)(i). Merely quoting the bare clause of the Act does
not imply that the reasons have been given. The PIO should have intimated
as to how he had come to the conclusion that rule 8(1)(j) was applicable in
this case. (CIC/OK/C/2006/00010 dated 07.0706)
5. A public authority can divide responsibilities amongst PIOs, but every PIO has
to accept every application. (10/1/2005/CIC dated 25.02.06)
3 The data is retrieved from http://www.nyayabhoomi.org/right-to-information/imporders-sc-hc-cic34
6. The PIO with whom the application is submitted has to provide the
information. He cannot forward to another PIO within his department. Also, he
cannot ask the applicant to approach another PIO for submission or obtaining
information. (ICPB/C1/CIC/2006 dated 06.03.06)
7. Only PIOs can provide information. Other officers and APIOs cannot provide
information. APIOs job is to only forward the application or the appeal.
(10/1/2005/CIC dated 25.02.06)
8. Transfer under section 6(3) is not possible within a single public authority.
(10/1/2005/CIC dated 25.02.06 & ICPB/C1/CIC/2006 dated 06.03.06)
9. A public authority can prescribe a form for making application. However, it
was clarified in a subsequent review order that an application can still be
made on plain paper and it cannot be rejected. (CIC/C/I/2006 dated 16.01.06
& CICI/C/1/2006 dated 30.01.06)
10.The onus for timely dispatch of replies is on the PIO. (CIC/OK/A/2006/00049
dated 02.05.06)
11.An appellant can seek the help of others in proceedings. (10/1/2005/CIC dt.
25.02.06)
12. It is possible to seek reviews of Commission’s decisions. (CICI/C/1/2006
dated 30.01.06 & CIC/A/3/2006 dated 03.04.06)
13.An appellant has a right to be heard by the first appellate authority.
(CIC/AT/A/2006/00040 dated 27.03.06)
14.A public authority can only ask for costs as prescribed in the Act and the
Rules, and cannot ask for compensation for their time and other costs
incurred. (23/IC(A)/2006 dt. 10.04.06)
15.Even if the information is available on the government’s website, one can ask
for it though an application. (CIC/OK/A/2006/00046 dated 02.05.06)
16.A tender cannot be cancelled without giving reasons. In fact, every action of a
public authority must have a reason and it should be transparent to all.
(ICPB/A-4/CIC/2006 dated 10.02.06 & ICPB/A-6/CIC/2006 dated 27.02.06)
17. Information cannot be denied under section 7(9). This provision only deals
with the form in which information is to be supplied. (10/1/2005/CIC dated
25.02.06)
35
18.The government cannot wrongly classify its documents as Secret and then
claim exemption from disclosure. (CIC/A/12/2006 dated 21.02.06)
19.Excuse of “potential misuse” is not sufficient to deny information.
(10/1/2005/CIC dated 25.02.06)
20.Jailed or under-trial people is not personal information and is not invasion of
privacy. (CIC/WB/A/2006/00120 dated 01.05.06)
21.Tour programmes and travel expenses of a public authority are not personal
information. (07/IC(A)/CIC/2006 dated 06.03.06)
22.Bio-datas and application forms together with enclosures for appointment in
public authorities cannot be denied. (ICPB/A-9/CIC/2006 dated 03.04.06)
23.Personal performance assessment/appraisal forms of government employees
cannot be disclosed. (29/IC(A)/06 dated 20.04.06)
24.PAN, TAN Numbers are confidential and cannot be disclosed.
(05/IC(A)/CIC/2006 dated 03.03.06)
25.One cannot prefer a second appeal directly with the Commission without first
preferring the first appeal. (CIC/A/1/2006 dated 18.01.2006)
26.PIOs cannot appeal against the decisions of first appellate authorities.
(06/IC(A)/CIC/2006 dated 03.03.06). However, a closer look at section 19(3)
makes it clear that the IC has erred. Whilst practically speaking, an officer in
his capacity as PIO cannot appeal the decision of his senior officer in the
capacity of appellate authority, the wording of section 19(3) leaves it open to
the PIO to appeal against the decision of his senior officer, i.e., the appellate
authority.
27.Exemption provided to the organizations listed in Second Schedule of the Act
are absolute in nature. (CIC/AT/A/2006/00055 and 30 dated 27.04.06)
28.Names of officers who are under discreet watch due to suspicion of corruption
but still have been promoted have to be disclosed. (CIC/MA/A/2006/116 dated
01.05.2006)
29.Penalty can be imposed on all officers, not only PIOs. An officer whose
assistance has been sought under section 5(5) by the PIO may be penalized
if he fails to provide such assistance. (Adjunct to CIC/WB/2006/00018 dated
28.09.2006)
36
30.Reply should be provided in the same language in which the application has
been made as long as it is a local or national language.
(CIC/WB/A/2006/00117)
31.A decision in first appeal has to be signed by the First Appellate Authority and
not by the PIO or the APIO. (CIC/OK/A/2007/01302)
32.An applicant has full rights to be given the copy of the objections filed by a
"third party" against disclosure of information by the PIO.
(CIC/AT/A/2007/01297)
37
Chapter 5
RTI in Haryana – Manual4
i) The particulars of the organization, functions and duties:
In order to ensure greater and more effective access to
information, the Government resolved that the Freedom of Information Act,
2002 enacted by the Parliament needs to be made more progressive,
participatory and meaningful. The National Advisory Council deliberated on
the issue and suggested certain important changes to be incorporated in the
existing Act to ensure smoother and greeter access to information. The
Government examined the suggestions made by the National Advisory
Council and others and decided to make a number of changes in the law.
The important changes inter alia, include establishment of an
appellate machinery with investigating powers to review decisions of the
Public Information Officers; penal provisions for failure to provide information
as per law; provisions to ensure maximum disclosure and minimum
exemptions, consistent with the constitutional provisions, and an effective
mechanism for access to information and disclosure by authorities, etc. In
view of significant changes proposed in the existing Act, the Government
also decided to repeal the Freedom of Information Act, 2002. The new
legislation provides a powerful framework for giving effect to the right to
information recognized under Article 19 of the Constitution of India.
A key objective of the Right to Information Act, 2005 is to
promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public
authority in the country. The Act mandates a legal-institutional framework
for setting out the practical regime of right to information for every citizen
to secure access to information held by or under the control of public
authorities. It prescribes mandatory disclosure of certain information to
citizens and designation of Public Information Officers in all public
authorities to attend to requests from citizens for information within
stipulated time limits. It provides for appeal to designated appellate officers 4 The data is retrieved from http://cicharyana.gov.in/writereaddata/CIC,%20Haryana/Proactive%20Disclosure/CIC17.doc
38
against the decisions of Public Information Officers. It also mandates the
constitution of a Central Information Commission and State Information
Commissions to enquire into complaints hear second appeals and guide
the implementation of the Act.
The setting up of Information Commissions at the Central and
State levels to ensure the effective implementation of the right to
information regime in the country is one of the most important provisions of
the Act. The role played by the respective Commissions is likely to have a
significant effect on whether or not the Act is implemented in letter and
spirit by the public authorities operating at different levels. Apart from
exercising the statutory functions entrusted to them the Information
Commissions are expected to act as “friend, philosopher and guide” to
citizens in exercise of their right to information, and to public authorities in
the discharge of their duties to make information accessible to the people.
In order to ensure the effective implementation of Right to
Information Act, 2005, the State Government on 31st October 2005 by
notification in the Official Gazette, constituted a body known as the State
Information Commission, Haryana to exercise the powers conferred on,
and to perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act and also
appointed Shri G.Madhavan, IAS (Retired) as the first Chief Information
Commissioner of the State Information Commission, Haryana. He was
sworn in on 1st November 2005 and the State Information Commission
came into existence from this day and by a coincidence the State of
Haryana also came into existence on this very day in the year 1966. Later
on vide notification dated 5th May 2006, Ms Meenaxi Anand Chaudhry, IAS
(Retired) was appointed as State Information Commissioner in the newly
constituted State Information Commission, Haryana. She was sworn in on
9th May 2006. Subsequently 5 more State Information Commissioners
namely Mrs. Asha Sharma, IAS (Retired), Lt. Gen. Sh. J.B.S.Yadav, Sh.
Ashok Mehta, Sh. M.R.Ranga and Sh. Prem Veer Singh were inducted.
They were sworn in on 3rd of January 2008.
39
The powers and duties of its officers and employees;
Section 15 (4) provides that the general superintendence, direction and
management of the affairs of the State Information Commission shall vest in the
State Chief Information Commissioner who shall be assisted by the State Information
Commissioners and may exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things
which may be exercised or done by the State Information Commission autonomously
without being subjected to directions by any other authority under this Act.
Section 18 of the Act spells out the powers and functions of the State
Information Commission.
(1) It shall be the duty of the State Information Commission
to receive and inquire into a complaint from any person,---
(a) who has been unable to submit a request to a Public Information
Officer either by reason that no such officer has been appointed under this Act, or
because the Assistant Public Information Officer has refused to accept his or her
application for information or appeal under the Act for forwarding the same to the
Public Information Officer or appellate officer of the Information Commission as the
case may be;
(b) who has been refused access to any information requested under
the Act;
(c) who has not been given a response to a request for information or
access to information within the time limit specified under the Act;
(d) who has been required to pay an amount of fee which he or she
considers unreasonable;
(e) who believes that he or she has been given incomplete misleading
or false information under the Act; and
(f) in respect of any other matter relating to requesting or obtaining
access to records under the Act.
(2) Where the State Information Commission is
satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to inquire into the matter, may initiate an
enquiry in respect thereof.
40
(3) The State Information Commission shall, while
inquiring into a complaint, have the same powers as are vested in a civil court while
trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, in respect of the following
matters, namely:--
(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of persons and
compel them go give oral or written evidence on oath and to produce the documents
of things;
(b) requiring the discovery and inspection of documents;
(c) receiving evidence on affidavit;
(d) requisitioning any public record or copies thereof from any court
or office;
(e) issuing summons for examination of witnesses or documents;
and
(f) any other matter which may be prescribed.
(4) Notwithstanding anything inconsistent contained in any other Act of
Parliament or State Legislature, as the case may be the State Information
Commission may during the inquiry of any complaint under this Act, examine any
record to which this Act applies which is under the control of the Public Authority,
and no such record may be withheld from it on any grounds.
Section 19 [(7), (8), (9) & (10)] of the Act highlight the powers of the
Commission pertaining to the decision in appeals:
The Information Commission to decide appeals in
accordance with the prescribed procedure and its decision shall be binding;
In its decision, the State Information Commission has the
power to-
(a) require the public authority to take any such steps as may be
necessary to secure compliance with the provisions of the Act, including---
(i) by providing access to information, if so requested , in a
particular form;
41
(ii) by appointing a Public Information Officer;
(iii) by publishing certain information or categories of information;
(iv) by making necessary changes to its practices in relation to
the maintenance, management and destruction of records;
(v) by enhancing the provision of training on the right to
information for its officials;
(vi) by providing it with an annual report in compliance with
clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 4;
(b) require the public authority to compensate the complainant for any
loss or other detriment suffered;
(c) impose any of the penalties provided under the Act;
(d) reject the application.
The information Commission shall give notice of its decision, including
any right of appeal, to the complainant and the public authority.
The Commission may also impose penalty on and/or
recommend for disciplinary action against erring Public Information Officers [Section
20 (1), (2)]
Where the State Information Commission, at the time of deciding any
complaint or appeal is of the opinion that the Public Information Officer, has, without
any reasonable cause, refused to receive an application for information or has not
furnished information within the time specified under sub section (1) of section 7 or
malafidely denied the request for information or knowingly given incorrect,
incomplete or misleading information or destroyed information which was the subject
of the request or obstructed in any manner in furnishing the information, it shall
impose a penalty of Rs. 250/- each day till application is received or information is
furnished, so however, the total amount of such penalty shall not exceed Rs.
25,000/-;
the Public Information Officer shall be given a reasonable opportunity
of being heard by the Commission before any penalty is imposed on him or her;
the burden of proving that a Public Information Officer acted
reasonably and diligently shall be on himself/herself;
42
where the Information Commission, at the time of deciding any
complaint or appeal is of the opinion that the Public Information Officer, has, without
any reasonable cause and persistently, failed to receive an application for
information or has not furnished information within the time specified or malafidely
denied the request for information or knowingly given incorrect, incomplete or
misleading information or destroyed information which was the subject of the request
or obstructed in any manner in furnishing the information it shall recommend for
disciplinary action against the Information Officer under the service rules applicable
to him or her.
iii) Procedure followed in the decision-making process, including channels of
supervision and accountability.
iv) The norms set by it for the discharge of its functions;
and
v)The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its
control or used by its employees for discharging its functions.
43
RESEARCH OFFICER-CUM-CONSULTANT Legal Consultant
Secretary
ACCOUNTS OFFICER
Superintendent
PROGRAMMER
State Information Commissioner
Chief Information Commissioner
Under Secretary
The State Information Commission, Haryana discharge its function
according to norms as under: -
1) Provisions made in the Right to Information Act, 2005 for disposing of
various complaints or Appeals received in the Commission.
2) Any amendment received for the implementation of Right to Information Act,
2005 from the Central or the State Government.
3) The Haryana Right to Information Rules, 2005.
4) Punjab Civil Service Rules for disposing of service matters of the employees
posted with the Commission.
5) Punjab Financial Rules for disposing of financial matters.
6) Policy instructions of the State Government issued from time to time.
There is no time limit fixed in the Act for disposal of second
Appeals/Complaints received by the Commission. However, the Commission has
been disposing off such matters expeditiously. It shall be the endeavor of the
Commission that such matters are finalized with in a maximum period of 3 months of
their receipt in the Commission.
vi) A statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or
under its control: -
(1) The files of complaints received from the complainants
under section 18(2) of RTI Act, 2005 for inquiring into the matter and
their final disposal.
(2) The files of appeals received from the Appellants under
section 19(3) of RTI, Act, 2005 and their final disposal.
44
(3) Files advising the applicants to take action as provided
under the Act to get the delivery of information more expeditiously.
(4) Personal files of staff functioning in the State Information
Commission, Haryana.
(5) Files of accounts on account of expenditure incurred out of
the budget allocated to the State Information Commission, Haryana.
vii) The particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with
or representation by the members of the public in relation to the
formulation of its policy or administration thereof;
The Main function of the State Information Commission is to
implement Right to Information Act, 2005 by providing for setting out the practical
regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the
control of a public authority, in order to promote transparency and accountability in
the working of every public authority. There is no arrangement for consultation with
or representation by members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy
or administration thereof in the Commission.
viii) Statement of the boards, councils committees and other bodies
consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the
purpose of its advice and as to whether meetings of those boards,
councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the
minutes of such meetings are accessible for public.
-Not applicable-
45
ix) A directory of its officers and employees
Contact us
Sr.
No.
Name & Designation Address Telephone Nos.
office Res.
1. Sh. G.Madhavan,
Chief Information
Commissioner, Haryana
12, Sector-7,
Chandigarh
2726568
2783834
(Fax)
98766363
98279362
8
2. Sh. H.C Bansal,
Sr. Secy./CIC
1250, Sector-
11, Panchkula
272568 2579154
3. Ms. Meenaxi Anand
Chaudhry,
State Information
Commissioner
287, Sector 16
Chandigarh
2783621
(Tele Fax)
98559999
76254350
5
4. Ms. Triprta, PS/State
Information Commission
1033, Sector 20
B, Chandigarh
2783621 2716250
5. Ms. Asha Sharma, State
Information Commissioner
55, Sector 5,
Chandigarh
2720114 2740096
98788911
28
6. Ms. Sneh Lata, PS/SIC (AS) 155, Sector 19,
Chandigarh
2720114 2725144
7. Lt. Gen. Sh. J.B.S.Yadav,
State Information
Commissioner
- 2720116 98788911
27
8. Sh. Om Parkash Kapoor,
PS/SIC(JBSY)
749, Sector 7,
Chandigarh
2720116 2794051
9. Sh. M.R.Ranga, State
Information Commissioner
12, Wadhwa
Nagar, Zirakpur
(Mohali)
2720115 98788911
23
46
10. Sh. Som Parkash
PS/SIC(NRR)
1233-A, Sector
20-B,
Chandigarh
2720115 93178990
00
2541070
11. Sh. Prem Veer Singh, State
Information Commissioner
627, Sector 6,
Panchkula.
2720117 98788911
26
2586272
12. Ms. Usha Saini,
PS/SIC(PVS)
3885, Sector 22,
Chandigarh
2720117 2702885
13. Sh. Chander Shekhar, HCS,
Secretary
720, Sector 7B,
Chandigarh
2725494 2794554
14. Yagya Dutt Chugh,
Under Secretary
5810, MHC,
Mani Majra,
Chandigarh
2783670 2735810
15. Sh. K.L.Sharma, Research
–Officer-cum-Consultant.
2184, Sector
27-C,
Chandigarh
2783670 2638808
The monthly remuneration received by each
of its officers and employees, including the
system of compensation as provided in its
regulations.
Sr.
No.
Nomenclature of post Sanctioned pay scale.
1. Chief Information
Commissioner
Rs. 90,000/- plus allowances
as sanctioned to the Election
Commissioner of India.
2. State Information
Commissioner
Rs. 80,000/- plus allowances
as sanctioned to the Chief
Secretary of the State.
3. Secretary PB- 37400-67000.+GP 8800
47
4. Sr. Secretary to CIC PB 15600-39100+GP 7600
5. Under Secretary PB 15600-39100+GP 6000
6. Research Officer-cum-
consultant.
PB 9300-34800+GP 4600.
7. Superintendent PB 9300-34800+GP 4200.
8. Accounts Officer PB 9300-34800+GP 4600.
9. Legal Consultant As fixed by the Commission
10. Programmer PB 9300-34800+GP 4200.
11. Private Secretary to SIC PB 9300-34800+GP 4600.
12. Personal Assistants PB 9300-34800+GP 4200.
13. Assistants PB 9300-34800+GP 3600.
14. Accounts Assistant PB 9300-34800+GP 3600.
15. Readers PB 9300-34800+GP 3600.
16. Jr. Scale Steno PB 5200-20200+ GP 2400
17. Steno Typists PB 5200-20200+ GP
2400+SP 100
18. Clerks-cum-computer
operators
PB 5200-20200+ GP
2400+SP 40
19. Drivers PB 5200-20200+ GP
2400+SP 300
20. Peons PB 4440-7440+GP 1300+SP
30
48
x) The budget allocated to each of its agencies, indicating the
particulars of all plans, proposes expenditures and reports on
disbursement made.
In Haryana, The State Information Commission was set up with effect from
1.11.2005. To run the establishment of the newly constituted Commission, the State Government
made the following provisions in the Head of Account 2070-Other Administrative Services-Non Plan:-
Year Funds provided (Rs in Lac)
Original
Allotment
Final Allotment
2005-2006 30.00 26.79
2006-07 140.04 126.00
2007-08 167.94 135.05
2008-09 244.27 212.02
2009-10 265.62 --
xi) The manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the
amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such
programmes;
Not applicable to the State Information Commission, Haryana.
xii) Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorization
granted by it.
Not applicable to the State Information Commission, Haryana.
xiv) Details in respect of the information, available to or held by it reduced
in an electronic form;
Nil
49
xv) The particulars of facilities available to the citizens for obtaining
information, including the working hours of a library or reading
room, if maintained for public use;
Like any other Public Authority Information concerning the
Commission and its working can be obtained under the Right to
Information Act, 2005. In view of the paucity of the space it is not possible
to provide arrangement for a library or reading room for the public at large
at present.
xvi) The names, designations and other particulars of the Public
Information Officers;
Name of the Officer Designated as
Secretary 1st Appellate Authority
Under Secretary State Public Information Officer.
Superintendent Assistant State Public
Information Officer.
Accounts Assistant To collect fee in cash.
xvii) Such other information as may be prescribed and thereafter update
these publications every year.
The Commission has launched its own web site. Information
pertaining to the activities of the Commission including its orders in various
public hearings conducted from time to time has been put up on the web
site cicharyana.gov.in and being updated regularly for information of all
concerned.
50
The details of staff provided by the Government to run the State Information
Commission, Haryana.
The State Government while setting up of State Information Commission, Haryana, also
decided to sanction following staff vide Government orders issued bearing endorsement
No. 5/6/2005-1AR dated 23-1-2006 and after the induction of Five Information
Commissioners dated 3/1/08:-
Sr.
No.
Nomenclature of
post
Sanctioned pay scale.
1. One Chief
Information
Commissioner
Rs. 90,000/- plus allowances as
sanctioned to the Election
Commissioner of India.
2. Six State Information
Commissioners
Rs. 80,000/- plus allowances as
sanctioned to the Chief Secretary of
the State.
3. One Secretary PB- 37400-67000.+GP 8800
4. One Sr. Secretary to
CIC
PB 15600-39100+GP 7600
5. One Under
Secretary
PB 15600-39100+GP 6000
6. One Research
Officer-cum-
consultant.
PB 9300-34800+GP 4600.
7. One Superintendent PB 9300-34800+GP 4200.
8. One Accounts
Officer
PB 9300-34800+GP 4600.
9. Legal Consultant As fixed by the Commission
10. Programmer PB 9300-34800+GP 4200.
11. Six Private
Secretaries to SICs
PB 9300-34800+GP 4600.
12. Eight Posts of
Personal Assistants
PB 9300-34800+GP 4200.
13. Two Posts of
Assistants
PB 9300-34800+GP 3600.
14. One post of
Accounts Assistant
PB 9300-34800+GP 3600.
15. Two Posts of
Readers
PB 9300-34800+GP 3600.
16. One Jr. Scale Steno PB 5200-20200+ GP 2400
17. Two Steno Typists PB 5200-20200+ GP 2400+SP 100
18. Eight Clerks-cum-
computer operators
PB 5200-20200+ GP 2400+SP 40
19. Nine Drivers PB 5200-20200+ GP 2400+SP 300
20. Twenty One Peons PB 4440-7440+GP 1300+SP 30
The State Government has also decided in principle that as and when an
Information Commissioner is appointed, the supporting staff like Private Secretary,
Personal Assistant, Reader, Steno typist, Clerk-cum-Computer Operator, Driver, each
one and two Peons would automatically be created for each Information Commissioner.
Budget allocation :-
In Haryana, the State Information Commission was set up with effect from 1-11-
2005. To run the establishment of newly constituted Commission, the State Government
made the following provisions in the Head of Account 2070-Other Administrative
Services-Non Plan
(Rs. in lac)
Sr.No Object Year wise allotment of funds
2005-
06
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
1. Salary 1.44 24.69 34.21 97.59 108.83
2. Dearness
Allowance
0.40 07.23 14.04 33.88 41.79
3. Travel
Expenses
0.17 02.87 01.41 05.79 05.00
4. Office
Expenses
24.78 00.26 39.40 36.84 63.00
5. Motor/Vehicle 0.00 00.62 31.19 15.48 12.00
6. P.O.L. 0.00 74.00 06.40 10.00 11.00
7. Medical
Charges
0.00 09.85 00.45 00.88 10.00
8. L.T.C. 0.00 03.30 01.75 03.25 08.00
9. Information
and
Technology
0.00 03.18 06.20 08.31 06.00
10. Rate Rent
Tax (RRT)
0.00 0.00 00.00 00.00 00.00
Total 26.79 126.00 135.05 212.02 265.62
Chapter 6
Haryana RTI Rules 20055
Haryana Government
Administrative Reforms Department
Notification
The 28th October, 2005
No. 5/4/2002-IAR In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (I) read with Sub
section (2) of section 27 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Central Act 22 of 2005),
the Governor of Haryana hereby makes the following rules providing for information
under the said Act, namely:-
1. Short title and commencement.
(1) These rules may ;be called the Haryana Right to Information Rules, 2005.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the official
Gazette.
2. Definitions.
(1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,
(a) “Act” means the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Central Act 22
of 2005).
(b) “Commission” means the Haryana Information Commission.
(c) “Form” means a form, appended to these rules.
(d) “section” means the section of the Act.
(2) The works and expressions used in these rules, but not defined, shall
have the same meanings as assigned to them in the Act.
3. Application for obtaining information.
5 The data is retrieved from http://cicharyana.gov.in/writereaddata/CIC,%20Haryana/Proactive%20Disclosure/CIC17.doc
(1) A person, who desires to obtain any information admissible under the Act,
shall make an application in Form A to the State Public Information
Officer/State Assistant Public Information Officer along with a fee as
specified in rule 5 of these rules.
sections 2(m), 6 and 27
(2) On the receipt of an application, made under sub-rule (1), the State Public
Information Officer/State Assistant Public Information Officer shall give a
receipt in token thereof to the applicant.
4. Deposit of fee.
(1) The fee shall be deposited with the State Public Information Officer/State
Assistant Public Information Officer either in cash against proper receipt or
by treasury challan.
sections 6
(2) The amount of fee shall be credited to the receipt head/account number of
the concerned public authority.
(3) On receipt of an application, submitted under sub-rule (1) of rule 3, the
State Public Information Officer/State Assistant Public Information Officer
shall scrutinize the application and shall assess how much fee is required
to be paid by the applicant for obtaining the ;information.
(4) The fee assessed under sub-rule (3), shall be informed to the applicant by
the State Public Information Officer/State Assistant Public Information
Officer in Form B within a period of seven days from the receipt of
application.
(5) In case the applicant fails to deposit the requisite fee within a period of
fifteen days after the issuance of the intimation given to him under sub-
rule (4), it shall be construed that the applicant is no longer interested in
obtaining the information, sought for, and his application shall be deemed
to have been filed.
5. Quantum of fee.
(1) An application for obtaining any information under sub-section (1) of
section 6 shall be accompanied with a fee of Rs. 50.
sections 6&7
(2) For providing an information under sub-section (1) of section 7, the fee
shall be charged from the applicant at the following rates, namely:-
(a) Rs. 10 for each page in A-4 or A-3 size paper, created or
copied; and
(b) If information is to be provided on a large size of paper than
that of specified in clause (a), the actual cost price of such a
paper shall be charged.
(3) For providing an information under sub-section (5) of section 7, the fee
shall be charged from the applicant at the following rates, namely;
(a) Rs.50 for providing information in a floppy;
(b) Rs. 100 for providing information in diskette; and
(c) If information sought is of such a nature, which is contained
in a printed document of which a price has been fixed, then
that information shall be provided after charging the price,
fixed for that printed document.
(d) However, if only an extract or page of such a printed
document is asked for, then a fee of Rs. 10 per page shall
be charged.
(4) No fee for inspection of record shall be charged, if such an inspection is
made for one hour only. However, if inspection is made for a period of
more than one hour, then a fee of rupees ten shall be charged for every
fifteen minutes in excess of first hour. Every fraction of the period above
fifteen minutes, shall be construed as a complete period of fifteen minutes
and it shall be charged as full period of fifteen minutes.
6. Procedure to be followed in deciding appeal.
Before deciding an appeal, the Commission shall,--
sections 19(10)
(a) serve notice to the concerned persons;
(b) entertain any evidence in support of appeal, which may ;be oral or in writing
form the concerned persons;
(c) examine on oath or by having affidavits from the persons concerned;
(d) peruse or inspect the documents or any records or copies thereof;
(e) inquire through the authorized officer the facts of an appeal or may require
facts in detail, if it so deems appropriate, hear the State Public Information
Officer or any other senior officer who had decided the first appeal, as the
case may be; and
(f) receive evidence on affidavits from the State Public Information Officer or
any senior officer who had decided the first appeal or from any other
person from whom the evidence may be deemed necessary.
7. Mode of serving notice.
The Commission may serve notice to the persons concerned in any of the
following modes, namely:-
sections 19(10)
(a) by hand delivery (dasti) through process server; or
(b) by registered post with acknowledgement due; or
(c) by publication in the newspaper.
8. Order by the Commission.
(1) The Commission shall make order in writing and pronounce the same in
the presence of the concerned parties.
sections 19(10)
(2) The party concerned may, obtain the copy of the order from the
Commission.
Form A
[See rule 3(1)]
To
The State Public Information Officer/
State Assistant Public Information Officer,
(Name of the office with address)
1. Full name of the applicant:
2. Address;
3. Particulars of information required:-
(i) Subject matter of information*
(ii) The period to which the information related**
(iii) Description of the information required***
(iv) Whether information is required by post or in person
(the actual postal charges shall be included in addition to the
fees.)
(v) In case by post (Ordinary, Registered or Speed)
Place:
Date:
Signature of the Applicant.
Broad category of the subject to be indicated (such as
Grant/Government Land/Service matters/Licenses etc.)
Relevant period for which information is required to be
indicated.
Specific details of the information are required to be
indicated.
Acknowledgement:
Received your application dated_____________________,--vide Diary
No._____________dated________________
(Signature)
State Public Information Officer/
State Assistant Public Information Officer
Name of the Department/Offce
Form B
[See rule4(4)]
From
State Public Information Officer/
State Assistant Public Information Officer
(Name of the Department/Office)
To
Name and address of the applicant.
Sir,
Please refer to your application dated ______________addressed
to the undersigned requesting information regarding____________. The additional fee
for supplying this information to you is Rs/_____________________.
2. You are hereby informed to pay the fee at this office either in cash or in a
Government treasury through challan and send a copy of the challan to this office within
a period of fifteen days and collect the information on____________
3. The amount of fee shall be deposited in the receipt head/account No. (to be
intimated to the applicant by the concerned department.)
State Public Information Officer/
State Assistant Public Information Office.
Constitution of State Information Commission, Haryana to implement Right to
Information Act, 2005.
In order to ensure the effective implementation of Right to
Information Act, 2005, the State Government on 31st October 2005 by
notification in the Official Gazette, constituted a body known as the State
Information Commission, Haryana to exercise the powers conferred on, and
to perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act and also appointed Shri
G.Madhavan, IAS (Retired) as the first Chief Information Commissioner of the
State Information Commission, Haryana. He was sworn in on 1st November
2005 and the State Information Commission came into existence from this
day and by a coincidence the State of Haryana also came into existence on
this very day in the year 1966. Later on vide notification dated 5th May 2006,
Ms Meenaxi Anand Chaudhry, IAS (Retired) was appointed as State
Information Commissioner in the newly constituted State Information
Commission, Haryana. She was sworn in on 9th May 2006. Subsequently 5
more State Information Commissioners namely Mrs. Asha Sharma, IAS
(Retired), Lt. Gen. Sh. J.B.S.Yadav, Sh. Ashok Mehta, Sh. M.R.Ranga and
Sh. Prem Veer Singh were inducted. They were sworn in on 3rd of January
2008.
HARYANA GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS DEPARMENT
Notification
The 31st October, 2005
No. 35/4/2002-1AR.- In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (1) of
Section 15 of the “Right to Information Act, 2005” ( Central Act 22 of 2005 ), and all
other powers enabling him in this behalf, the Governor of Haryana is please to
constitute the Haryana State Information Commission to exercise the powers conferred
upon and perform the functions assigned to it under Chapter IV, V, VI and other
provisions of the Act and to appoint Sh. G. Madhavan, IAS(Retd.) as State Chief
Information Commissioner, Haryana of the aforesaid Commission.
2. The terms and conditions of the Commission as also the State Chief
Information Commissioner, Haryana shall be determined and notified in due course.
Chandigarh S. C. CHOUDHARY,
The 31st Oct. 2005 Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary to
Govt.,Haryana, Administrative Reforms Department.
HARYANA GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION DEPARMENT
Notification
The 5th May, 2006
No. 35/4/2002-1AR.- In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (3) of
Section 15 of the Right to Information Act, 2005( Central Act 22 of 2005 ), the Governor
of Haryana hereby appoints Smt. Meenaxi Anand Chaudhry to be the State Information
Commissioner of the State Information Commission constituted vide Haryana
Government. Administrative Reforms Department notification No. 35/4/2002-1 AR,
dated 31st October, 2005.
2. The terms and conditions of the State Information Commissioner shall be
determined and notified in due course.
Chandigarh
PREM PRASHANT,
The 5th May, 2006
Chief Secretary to Government, Haryana.
HARYANA GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION DEPARMENT
Notification
The 31st December, 2007
No. 5/4/2002-1AR.- In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (3) of
Section 15 of the Right to Information Act, 2005( Central Act 22 of 2005 ), the Governor
of Haryana hereby appoints Smt. Asha Sharma, Lt.Gen. (Retd.) J.B.S. Yadav, Sh.
Ashok Mehta, Sh. M.R. Ranga and Sh. Prem Veer Singh to be the State Information
Commissioners of the State Information Commission constituted vide Haryana
Government. Administrative Reforms Department notification No. 35/4/2002-1 AR,
dated 31st October, 2005.
2. The terms and conditions of the State Information Commissioners shall be
determined and notified in due course.
Chandigarh
PROMILLA ISSAR
The 31st December 2007 Chief Secretary to Government, Haryana.
Right to Know:
When does it come into force?
It comes into force on the 12th October,2005 (120th day of its enactment on
15th June, 2005). Some provisions have come into force with immediate effect
viz. obligations of public authorities [S.4 (1)], designating of Public Information
Officers and Assistant Public Information Officers [S.5(1) and 5(2)], constitution
of State Information Commission (S.15 and16),non-applicability of the Act to
Intelligence and Security Organizations (S.24) and power to make rules to carry
out the provisions of the Act (S.27 and 28).
2. Who is covered ?
The Act extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
[S.(12)]
3. What does information mean?
Information means any material in any form including records,
Documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars,
Orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material
held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can
be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.
4. What does Right to information mean?
It includes the right to –
i. inspect works, documents, records.
ii. Take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records.
iii. Take certified samples of material.
iv. Obtain information in form of printouts, diskettes, floppies, tapes,
Video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts. [S.2(i)]
5. What are the obligations of public authority ?
It shall publish within one hundred and twenty days of the enactment:-
i. the particulars of its organization, functions
and duties;
ii. the powers and duties of its officers and employees;
iii. the procedure followed in its decision making process, including
channels of supervision and accountability;
iv. the norms set by it for the discharge of its functions;
v. the rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records used by its
employees for discharging its functions;
vi. a statement of the categories of the documents held by it or under
its control;
vii. the particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with,
or representation by the members of the public, in relation to the
formulation of policy or implementation thereof;
viii. a statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies
consisting of two or more persons constituted by it. Additionally,
information as to whether the meetings of these are open to the
public, or the minutes’ of such meetings are accessible to the
public;
ix. a directory of its officers and employees;
x. the monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and
employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its
regulations;
xi. the budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars
of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements
made;
xii. the manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the
amounts allocated and the details and beneficiaries of such
programmes ;
xiii. particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations
granted by it;
xiv. details of the information available to, or held by it, reduced in an
electronic form;
xv. the particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining
information, including the working hours of a library or reading room
if maintained for public use;
xvi. the name, designations and other particulars of the Public
Information Officer.[S.4(1)(b)]
6. What is not open to disclosure?
The following is exempt from disclosure [S.8]
i. information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the
sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or
economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or Lead
to incitement of an offence;
ii. information which has been expressly forbidden to be published by
any court of law or tribunal of the disclosure of which may constitute
contempt of court;
iii. information, the disclosure of which would cause a breach of
privilege of Parliament or the State Legislature;
iv. information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or
intellectual property, ;the disclosure of which would harm the
competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority
is
v. satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such
information;
vi. information available to a person in his fiduciary relationship, unless
the competent authority is satisfied that the larger public interest
warrants the disclosure of such information;
vii. information received in confidence from foreign Government;
viii. information, the disclosure of which would endanger the life or
physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or
assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security
purposes;
ix. information which would impede the process of investigation or
apprehension or prosecution of offenders;
x. cabinet papers including records of deliberations of the Council of
Ministers, Secretaries and other officers;
xi. information which relates too personal information the disclosure of
which has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which
would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual;
xii. Notwithstanding any of the exemptions listed above, a public
authority may allow access to information, if public interest in
disclosure outweighs the harm to the protected interests.
3. Is partial disclosure allowed ?
Only that part of the record which does not contain any information which is
exempted from disclosure and which can reasonably be severed from any part that
contains exempt information, may be provided [S.10]
4. What does a “Public authority” mean?
It means any authority or body or institution of self-government established or
constituted: [S.2(h)]
by or under the Constitution;
by any other law made by Parliament;
by any other law made by State Legislature;
by notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government
and includes any-
(a) body owned, controlled or substantially financed
(b) non-Government organization substantially financed directly
or indirectly by the appropriate Government.
9. Who are `third Parties`?
A third party means a person other than the citizen making a request for
information and includes a public authority. Third parties have a right to be heard in
respect of applications and appeals dealing with information submitted by them to
the Government in confidence. [S.2(n) and S.11]
10.Who are Public Information Officers (PIOs)?
PIOs are officers designated by the public authorities in all administrative units or
offices under it to provide information to the citizens requesting for information under
the Act. Any officer, whose assistance has been sought by the PIO for the proper
discharge of his or her duties, shall render all assistance and for the purpose of
contraventions of the provisions of this Act, such other officer shall be treated as a
PIO.
11.What are the duties of a PIO ?
PIO shall deal with requests from persons seeking information and
where the request cannot be made in writing, to render reasonable
assistance to the person to reduce the same in writing.
If the information requested for is held by or its subject matter is closely
connected with the function of another public authority, the PIO shall
transfer, within 5 days, the request to that other public authority and
inform the applicant immediately.
PIO may seek the assistance of any other officer for the proper
discharge of his/her duties.
PIO, on receipt of a request, shall as expeditiously as possible, and in
any case within 30 days ot the receipt of the request, either provide the
information on payment of such fee as may be prescribed or reject the
request for any of the reasons specified in S.8 or S.9.
Where the information requested for concerns the life or liberty of a
person, the same shall be provided within forty-eight hours of the
receipt of the request.
If the PIO fails to give decision on the request within the period
specified, he shall be deemed to have refused the request.
Where a request has been rejected, the PIO shall communicate to the
requester-(i) the reasons for such rejection, (ii) the period within which
an appeal against such rejection may be preferred, and (iii) the
particulars of the Appellate Authority.
PIO shall provide information in the form in which it is sought unless it
would disproportionately divert the resources of the Public Authority or
would be detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in
question.
. If allowing partial access, the PIO shall give a notice to the applicant,
informing:
(a) that only part of the record requested, after severance of the
record containing information which is exempt from
disclosure, is being provided;
(b) the reasons for the decision, including any findings on any
material question of fact, referring to the material on which
those findings were based;
© the name and designation of the person giving the decision;
(d) the details of the fees calculated by him or her and the
amount of fee which the applicant is required to deposit; and
(e) his or her rights with respect to review of the decision
regarding non-disclosure of part of the information, the
amount of fee charged or the ;form of access provided.
. If information sought has been supplied by third party or is treated ;as
confidential by that third party, the PIO shall give a written notice to the
third party within 5 days from the receipt of the request and take its
representation into consideration.
. Third party must be given a chance to make a representation before the
PIO within 10 days from the date of receipt of such notice.
12.What is the Application Procedure for requesting information?
1. Apply in writing or through electronic means in English or Hindi or in the
official language of the area, to the PIO, specifying the particulars of the
information sought for.
2. Reason for seeking information are not required to be given;
3. Pay fees as may be prescribed (if not belonging to the below poverty line
category.
13. What is the time limit to get the information?
1. 30 days from the date of application
2. 48 hours for information concerning the life and liberty of a person
3. 5 days shall be added to the above response time, in case the application
for information is given to Assistant Public Information Officer.
4. If the interests of a third party are involved then time limit will be 40 days
(maximum period + time given to the party to make representation.)
5. Failure to provide information within the specified period is a deemed
refusal.
14. What is the fee?
1. Application fees to be prescribed which must be reasonable.
2. If further fees are required, then the same must be intimated in writing with
calculation details of how the figure was arrived at;
3. Applicant can seek review of the decision on fees charged by the PIO by
applying to the appropriate Appellate Authority;
4. No fees will be charged from people living below the poverty line
5. Applicant must be provided information free of cost if the PIO fails to
comply with the prescribed time limit.
15. What could be the ground for rejection?
1. If it is covered by exemption from disclosure. (S.8)
2. If it infringes copyright of any person other than the State.(S.9)
16. Who are the Appellate Authorities?
1. First Appeal: First appeal to the officer senior in rank to the PIO in the
concerned Public Authority within 30 days from the expiry of the
prescribed time limit or from the receipt of the decision (delay may be
condoned by the Appellate Authority if sufficient cause is shown).
2. Second Appeal: Second appeal to the State Information Commission as
the case may be, within 90 days of the date on which the decision was
given or should have been made by the First Appellate Authority. (delay
may be condoned by the Commission if sufficient cause is shown).
3. Third Party appeal against PIO’s decision must be filed within 30 days
before first Appellate Authority; and, within 90 days of the decision on
the first appeal, before the appropriate Information Commission which is
the second appellate authority.
4. Burden of proving that denial of Information was justified lies with the PIO.
5. First Appeal shall be disposed of within 30 days from the date of its
receipt. Period extendable by 15 days if necessary. (S.19)
17. How is the State Information Commission constituted?
1. The State Information Commission will be constituted by the State
Government through a Gazette notification. It will have one State Chief
Information Commissioner ( SCIC ) and not more than 10 State
Information Commissioners ( SIC ) to be appointed by the Governor.
2. Oath of which will be administrated by the Governor according to the form
set out in the First Schedule.
3. The headquarters of the State Information Commission shall be at such
place as the State Government may specify. Other offices may be
established in other parts of the State with the approval of the State
Government.
4. The Commission will exercise its powers without being subjected to any
other authority.
18. What is the eligibility criterion and what is the process of appointment of State
Chief Information Commissioner/ State Information Commissioners?
The Appointment Committee will be headed by the Chief Minister. Other
members include the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and
one Cabinet Minister nominated by the Chief Minister.
The qualifications for appointment as SCIC / SIC shall be the same as that for
Central Commissioners.
The salary of the State Chief Information Commissioner will be the same as that
of an Election Commissioner. The salary of the State Information Commissioner
will be the same as that of the Chief Secretary of the State Government. ( S.15)
19. What are the powers and functions of Information Commissioners ?
1. The State Information Commission has a duty to receive complaints from
any person-
a) Who has not been able to submit an information request because a
PIO has not been appointed;
b) Who has been refused information that was requested;
c) Who has received no response to his/her information request
within the specified time limits;
d) Who thinks the fees charged are unreasonable;
e) Who thinks information given is incomplete or false or misleading;
and
f) Any other matter relating to obtaining information under this law.
2. Power to order inquiry if there are reasonable grounds.
3. SIC will have powers of Civil Court such as-
a) summoning and enforcing attendance of persons,
b) requiring the discovery and inspection of documents;
c) receiving evidence on affidavit;
d) requisitioning public records or copies from any court or office
e) issuing summons for examination of witnesses or documents
f) any other matter which may be prescribed.
4. All records covered by this law (including those covered by exemptions)
must be given to SIC during inquiry for examination.
5. Power to secure compliance of its decisions from the Public Authority
includes:-
a) providing access to information in a particular form;
b) directing the public authority to appoint a PIO/APIO where none
exists;
c) publishing information or categories of information;
d) making necessary changes to the practices relating to
management, maintenance and destruction of records;
e) enhancing training provision for officials on RTI;
f) seeking an annual report from the public authority on compliance
with this law;
g) require it to compensate for any loss or other detriment suffered by
the applicant;
h) impose penalties under this law; or
i) reject the application.(S.18 and S.19)
20. What is the role of State Governments ?
1. Develop educational programmes for the public especially
disadvantaged communities on RTI.
2. Encourage Public Authorities to participate in the development and
organization of such programmes.
3. Promote timely dissemination of accurate information to the public.
4. Train officers and develop training materials.
5. Compile and disseminate a User Guide for the public in the
respective official language.
6. Publish names, designation postal addresses and contact details of
PIOs and other information such as notices regarding fees to be
paid, remedies available in law if request is rejected etc. (S.26)
21. Who has the Rule making power?
State Governments and the Competent Authority as defined in S.2(e) are vested
with powers to make rules to carry out the provisions of the Right to Information
Act, 2005. (S.27 & S,28)
22. Who has the power to deal with the difficulties while implementing this Act?
If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions in the Act, the Central
Government may; by Order published in the Official Gazette, make provisions
necessary/expedient for removing the difficulty (S.30)
1. State Information Commission will send an annual report to the State
Government on the implementation of the provisions of this law at the end
of the year.
2. Each Department has a duty to compile reports from its Public Authorities
and send them to the State Information Commission, as the case may be.
3. Each report will contain details of number of requests received by each
Public Authority, number of rejections and appeals, particulars of any
disciplinary action taken, amount of fees and charges collected etc.
4. The State Government will table the report of the State Information
Commission before the Vidhan Sabha (and the Vidhan Parishad wherever
applicable). (S.25)
23. What are the penalty provisions?
Every PIO will be liable for fine of Rs. 250 per day, up to a maximum of Rs.
25,000/-,for –
i. not accepting an application;
ii. delaying information release without reasonable cause;
iii. malafidely denying information;
iv. knowingly giving incomplete, incorrect, misleading information;
v. destroying information that has been requested and
vi. obstructing furnishing of information in any manner.
The Information Commission (IC) at the State level will have the power to impose
this penalty. The Information Commission can also recommend disciplinary
action for violation of the law against an erring PIO. (S.20)
24. What is the jurisdiction of courts?
Lower Court are barred from entertaining suits or applications against any order
made under this Act. (S.23) However, the writ jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
and high Courts under Articles 32 and 225 of the Constitution remains
unaffected.
Fee Structure:
(1) An application for obtaining any information under sub-section (1) of
section 6 shall be accompanied with a fee of Rs. 50.
sections 6&7
(2) For providing an information under sub-section (1) of section 7, the fee
shall be charged from the applicant at the following rates, namely:-
(a) Rs. 10 for each page in A-4 or A-3 size paper, created or
copied; and
(b) If information is to be provided on a large size of paper than
that of specified in clause (a), the actual cost price of such a
paper shall be charged.
(3) For providing an information under sub-section (5) of section 7, the fee
shall be charged from the applicant at the following rates, namely;
(a) Rs.50 for providing information in a floppy;
(b) Rs. 100 for providing information in diskette; and
(c) If information sought is of such a nature, which is contained
in a printed document of which a price has been fixed, then
that information shall be provided after charging the price,
fixed for that printed document.
(d) However, if only an extract or page of such a printed
document is asked for, then a fee of Rs. 10 per page shall
be charged.
(4) No fee for inspection of record shall be charged, if such an inspection is
made for one hour only. However, if inspection is made for a period of
more than one hour, then a fee of rupees ten shall be charged for every
fifteen minutes in excess of first hour. Every fraction of the period above
fifteen minutes, shall be construed as a complete period of fifteen minutes
and it shall be charged as full period of fifteen minutes.
(5) Mode of payment of fee:
“The fee shall be deposited with the State Public Information Officer/State
Assistant Public Information Officer either in cash against proper receipt by
treasury challan or through Indian Postal Order or Bank Draft.”
(Notification No. 5/4/2002-IAR dated 25th July, 2006)
Circulars/instructions/Notifications issued by the Government regarding implementation
of Right to Information Act, 2005.
No. 5/4/2002-1AR
From
The Financial Commissioner & Principal Secretary to Govt., Haryana
Administrative Reforms Department.
To
(i) All Heads of Departments.
(ii) Registrar, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.
(iii) Commissioner, of Divisions in Haryana.
(iv) All Deputy Commissioners and SDOs (Civil), in Haryana.
(v) All Chief Administrators and Managing Directors of
Boards/Corporations in Haryana.
Dated Chandigarh the 30th Sept., 2005
Subject: Right to Information Act, 2005.
Sir,
I am directed to refer to the subject noted above and to state that with a
view to promoting openness, transparency and accountability in the working of every
public authority, the Government of India have enacted “The Right to Information Act,
2005” and notified the same in the Gazette of India on 21st June, 2005.
Section 4© & (d) of the Act cast an obligation upon all public authorities,
whether of the State or the Center, to publish certain categories of information and also
to grant access to citizens to information. This marks the advent of a new work culture
where the public authority shall have to :
(i) 4© publish all relevant facts while formulating important policies or
announcing the decisions which affect public;
(ii) 4(d) provide reasons for its administrative or quasi-judicial decisions to
affected persons.
Further section 4 prescribes that record shall have to be maintained in
prescribed manner and certain information shall have to be published within one
hundred and twenty days from the enactment of this Act.
At this stage your office is required :
(i) To give wide publicity to this Act and bring the contents of its intuition
known to all Employees and the administrative officers under your charge.
(ii) To take immediate steps toi publish ;the documents mentioned under
section 4(b)(i) to (xvii) of this Act.
(iii) Since this Act will have overriding effect, so all the existing Acts/
Instruments governing secrecy of the instruments/record would have to be
modified so that the new Act prevails and there are no escapades.
(iv) To take immediate steps for designating Public Information Officers and
Assistant Public Information Officers in the offices under your charge.
Action taken in respect of the above referred Act may be intimated to the
Administrative Reforms Department by 5the October, 2005, positively.
Encl.: (1) RTI ACT, 2005
Yours faithfully
(2) Salient features of the RTI Act, 2005
sd/-
Superintendent Administrative Reforms,
(3)Tasks to be completed prior to for Financial Commissioner & Principal Act
Secretary to Govt., Haryana
Commencement of the Act
Administrative Reforms Department.
.
------------------
No. 5/4/2004/Personal Attention
From
The Financial Commissioner & Principal Secretary
To Govt., Haryana, Administrative Reforms Department.
To
i) All Heads of Departments.
ii) Registrar, Punjab & Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.
iii) Commissioners of Divisions in Haryana.
iv) All Deputy Commissioners in Haryana and S.D.O. (civil) in Haryana.
v) All Chief Administrators and Managing Directors of
Boards/Corporations in Haryana.
Dated, Chandigarh, the 14th October, 2005
Subject: Right to Information Act, 2005.
Sir,
I am directed to refer to this Department letter No. 5/4/2002-1AR,
dated 30-9-2005 and subsequent reminders of even number dated 7-10-2005 and
7/10.10.2005, on the subject noted above and to state that the
departments/organizations which have not so far designated the State Public
Information Officers at District/Sub-Divisional level should immediately issue orders in
this regard, under intimation to the State Government. The departments which have no
Sub-divisional level officers may designate the said officers at district and headquarters
level. The Administrative Departments depending upon their organizational structure
may designate as many number of officers as State Assistant Public Information
Officers which may facilitate the applicants seeking information under the provisions of
the Act. However, at the Secretariat level, in each administrative department, a
Superintendent /Under Secretary/ Deputy Secretary, as the case may be, shall be
considered for designating as such by the Administrative Secretary.
2. The designations mentioned as Public Information Officer/Assistant
Public Information Officer in this department letters referred to above may be read as
State Public Information Officer/State Assistant Public Information Officer.
3. In each department only one officer, senior in rank to the State Public
Information Officer may be designated as First Appellate Authority for the entire
department/organization at the headquarters.
4. It is also requested that for giving publicity and making
information/documents available to the public under section 4(1) (b) (i) to (xvii) of the
Act each department/organization may immediately add all available information to their
websites. Where this facility is not available, the information may be added to the
Haryana State website. Besides, this information may also be displayed on Notice
Boards at the headquarters and in the field offices of the department.
5. Action taken in this regard may be intimated to the Administrative
Reforms Department, Haryana, 5th Floor, New Civil Secretariat, Haryana, Sector-17,
Chandigarh immediately.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
(K.L. Sharma)
Research Officer (AR)
for Financial Commissioner & Principal
Secretary to Government, Haryana,
Administrative Reforms Department.
Subject: Information regarding notification of Public Information Officers, Assistant
Information Officers and Appellate Authorities.
[No. 5/4/2005-A.R. dated 10.2.2006]
Sir,
I am directed to refer to the subject noted above and to say that most of
the Departments/Boards/Corporations have already notified the PIOs., APIOs as well as
the First Appellate Authorities under the Right to Information Act, 2005. This have also
been probably put on the website of the State Government. Letters are being received
in the Information Commission that many of them are not able to access the website
and have asked for details Departments/Boards/Corporations may take the following
action :-
1. All the departments both at the headquarters and in the field should
prominently display on their notice boards the details of officers who have
been notified as PIOs/APIOs as well as first Appellate Authorities under
the Right to Information Act, 2005.
2. The Format of application for seeking information under the Act should
also be displayed on the notice boards of all Govt.
offices/Boards/Corporations alongwith the details of the fee, which is
required to be deposited.
************
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEMINAR ON THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005
HELD ON 7.2.2006 AT 9.30 AM AT HARYANA NIWAS, SECTOR-3, CHANDIGARH
UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF CHIEF SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT
HARYANA.
[Circulated vide Financial Commissioner & Principal Secretary to Govt.
Haryana. Administrative Reforms Department No. 5/4/2005-1AR dated
6.3.2006]
Present :
(i) All Administrative Secretaries
(ii) All Heads of the Departments
PROCEEDINGS
A seminar on the Right to Information Act, 2005 was convened on 7.2.2006 at 9.30 AM
at Haryana Niwas, Sector-3, Chandigarh wherein the discussion on certain points
pertaining to the said Act took place, detail of which is mentioned below:-
5. It was asked/directed to furnish the information under Section 4(i) b of the
Right to Information Act, 2005 and the same be put on the State website
(www.rti.gov.in.). Organizations with heavy information demands may
create their own website. A link to the website of the organizations would
be provided from the State RTI site.
6. The participating officers were asked to give an update about designating
officials as State Public Information Officers at Secretariat/directorates,
State Assistant Public Information Officers at districts and subdivisions
and the First Appellate Authority at the Headquarters. It was also asked to
put such designated officers/officials on the State website or concerned
departments` website and also on notice boards of the organizations with
full address and telephone numbers of State Public Information
Officer/Assistant State Public Information Officer and First Appellate
Authority.
7. It was also decided to maintain the record for sending annual report to State
Information Commission.
8. It was also decided to circulate a note on the experiences in implementation as
well as salient features of the Act for easy reference to all
Departments/Public Sector Undertakings.
The seminar ended with a thanks to the Chair.
HARYANAGOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS DEPARTMENT
Notification
The 20th October, 2005
No. 5/4/2002-1AR.- In exercise of the powers conferred by section 15 (3) of the “Right
to Information Act”, 2005 (Central Act. No. 22 of 2005), the Governor of Haryana is
pleased to constitute a Committee consisting of the following:-
1. Chief Minister, Haryana
Chairperson
2. Shri Om Parkash Chautala, MLA
Member
3. Shri Venod Kumar Sharma,
Excise and Taxation and Forests Minister, Haryana
Member
This Committee shall recommend the names for appointment of the Haryana State
Information Commissioner and the Haryana State Information Commissioners. The
Director, Information and Technology, Haryana shall assist the Committee as its
Secretary.
Notification
The 29th December, 2005
No. 5/4/2005-1AR.- In exercise of the powers conferred by sub. Section
(4) of Section 24 of the “Right to Information Act:, 2005 (Central Act. No. 22 of 2005) the
Governor of Haryana hereby specifies the intelligence and security organizations as
mentioned in the schedule given below for the purpose of the said sub-section.
Schedule
(i) State Criminal Investigation Department (C.I.D.: including the Crime
Branch:
(ii) Haryana Armed police:
(iii) Security Organizations of Police:
(iv) Haryana Police Telecommunication Organization:
(v) India Reserve Battalion:
(vi) Commando:
[Extract from Haryana Government Gazette (Extra.), dated the 25th July, 2006]
HARYANA GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS DEPARTMENT
Notification
The 25th July, 2006
No. 5/4/2002-IAR-In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (1) read with
Sub-section (2) of Section 27 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Central Act 22 of
2005), the Governor of Haryana hereby makes the following rules further to amend
the Haryana Right to Information Rules, 2005, namely:-
1. These rules may be called the Haryana Right to Information (Amendment) Rules,
2006.
2. In the Haryana Right to Information Rules, 2005, in rule 4, for sub-rule(1), the
following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:-
“(1)The fee shall be deposited with the State Public Information
Officer/State assistant Public Information Officer either in cash
against proper receipt or by treasury challan or through Indian
Postal Order or Bank Draft.”
PREM PRASHANT,
Chief Secretary to Government Haryana,
Administrative Reforms Department
FOR PERSONAL ATTENTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARIES
SUBJECT: IMPLEMNTATION OF RTI ACT, 2005- SUBMISSION OF CERTIFICATE.
Will all the Financial Commissioners & Principal Secretaries and Commissioners
& Secretaries to Government, Haryana kindly refer to this department’s U.O. of even
number dated 30-9-2005 and subsequent reminders dated 7-10-2005, 7/10.10.2005,
14-10-2005, 2-12-2006 and 1-2-2006 on the subject noted above.?
2. In order to ensure the implementation of RTI
Act, 2005 in letter and spirit, it has been decided that all the Administrative Secretaries
may be requested to positively furnish a certificate by 31st August, 2006 stating therein
that:
all steps required under the ibid Act and the Rules make thereunder have
since been taken by their respective Departments, HODs,
Boards/Corporations and all the field officers subordinate thereto in the
State.
All the concerned HODs, Heads of Offices, PIOs, APIOs and 1st
Appellate Authorities have been sensitized about the application of RTI
Act.
All necessary information and formats as required under the Act and the
Rules made there under have been displayed on the; notice board of their
respective offices.
Their concerned functionaries have downloaded the RTI Rules, 2005 from
the State website www .rti .gov .in or arranged a copy thereof otherwise
and kept this copy handy for the convenience of the public at large.
Joint Secretary Administrative Reforms,
For Chief Secretary to Government Haryana,
Administrative Reforms Department.
To
(i) All Financial Commissioners & Principal Secretaries to
Government, Haryana.
(ii) All Commissioners & Secretaries to Government, Haryana.
U.O.No.5/4/2005-IAR,
Dated: Chandigarh, the 17th August, 2006.