Indore: State Information Commissioner (SIC) Atmadeep expressed disappointment over minimal use of RTI Act by people, especially women. Speaking to media persons on the sideline of a meeting at Residency, Atmadeep informed that action had been taken against more than 500 officers for not providing information sought by people under RTI Act.
In case a department is refusing or delaying to provide information under the Act, then the applicant can lodge a complaint with his office and action will be taken against the official concerned, the SIC added. He said that every citizen has the right to obtain information from any department under the Act.
No officer can linger on availing the information sought by an applicant. As per the provision of the Act, the applicant can lodge a complaint against an officer who delays information with his senior officer or the office of SIC, he added. At present very few people are using this right and the number of women is almost nil. The objective of the Act is to establish transparent and responsible system in the country.
However, some hurdles are coming in way of its implementation, the SIC said. Thus the State Information Commission is carrying out publicity of the Act by visiting district to district. He further informed that the commission is also conducting hearing through video conferring. As a future step, the commission is considering to conduct hearing of appeals on telephones and mobiles phones.
No assistant public information officer or public information officer can conduct hearing on complaint made against them, the SIC clarified. Every department has been instructed to depute an assistant public information officer and public information officer. Their name, post and contact numbers should also mandatorily be put on the notice board of the departments. Atmadeep further informed that while seeking information under RTI Act, payment of Rs 10 can be made by mode of cash, draft or postal order.
There is no need to make payment by challan. GST will not be charged for information given on photocopy, he added. He said that the commission took cognizance on the letter of a retired teacher in a 10-year-old case and started his pension and made payment of GPF. Following the implementation of RTI Act, there is great fear among officers, the SIC said. This Act has added a new aspect in the journalism. Now, this should be exercised for the public interest.