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DoyouknowhowtofileanRTIplea?TheHindu

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CITIESCHENNAI

Published:July3,201418:08IST|Updated:July3,201418:15IST
July3,2014

DoyouknowhowtofileanRTIplea?

TheRighttoInformation(RTI)Act,2005,iscrucialasitmandatestimelyresponsetoacitizensrequestforgovernmentinformation
WhatdoestheActaimtodo?
TheActaimsatpromotingtransparencyandaccountabilityintheworkingofeverypublicauthority
WhodoestheActapplyto?
TheActextendstothewholeofIndia,exceptthestateofJammuandKashmir
HowtofileanRTIplea
TheActprescribesasimpleproceduretoobtaininformation.Thoughsomepublicauthoritieshavetheirownformats,thereisnocompulsion
tosticktotheprescribedformat
Step1:Identifythedepartmentyouwantinformationfrom.SomesubjectsfallunderthepurviewofStategovernmentsorlocalauthority
suchasthemunicipaladministration/panchayat,whileothersarehandledbytheCentralgovernment
Step2:Onasheetofwhitepaper,writeouttheapplicationbyhand,ortypeit,inEnglish,Hindiortheofficiallanguageofthearea.Youcan
alsoaskthepublicinformationofficertoputitinwriting
Step3:AddresstheapplicationtotheState/CentralPublicInformationOfficer.Writethenameoftheofficefromwhichyouseek
information,andthecomplete,correctaddress.ClearlymentionSeekinginformationundertheRTIAct,2005inyoursubjectline
Step4:Stateyourrequestintheformofspecific,detailedquestions,andmentiontheperiod/yearyourrequestfallsinto.Askfordocuments
orextractsofdocuments,ifrequired.Toobtaindocuments,theapplicanthastomakeapaymentofRs.2perpage
Step5:PayRs.10tofiletheplea.Thiscanbedoneintheformofcash,moneyorder,bankdraftoracourtfeestamp.Thestampshouldbe
affixedtotheapplication.Applicantsbelowthepovertyline(BPL)neednotmakethepaymentbuthavetoattachacopyoftheBPLcertificate
alongwiththeapplication
Step6:Provideyourfullnameandaddress,contactdetails,emailaddressandsigntheapplicationclearly.Putinthedateandthenameof
yourtown
Step7:Takeaphotocopyoftheapplicationandkeeponewithyouforfuturereference.Sendyourapplicationbypostorhanditinpersonally
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DoyouknowhowtofileanRTIplea?TheHindu

tothedepartmentconcerned.Dontforgettogetanacknowledgement
Step8:Thelawmandatesthatinformationbeprovidedin30days.Ifthisdoesnothappen,youcanfileanappeal.Thefirstappealshouldbe
addressedtoTheAppellateAuthoritywiththenameofthedepartmentandtheaddress.Theappellateauthorityismandatedtorevertin30
daysfromthedateofreceiptoftheappeal.IftheAppellateauthorityfailstoreply,furtherappealsliewiththeInformationCommission,the
ChiefInformationCommissioner,State/CentralInformationCommission
EXPERTSAYS:(K.SanjayaKumar,chaptercoordinator,5Pillar,PallavaramChapterNICA:154582301)
1)Acourtfeestampistheeasiesttoacquire.Bankdraftsandpostalorderstaketime
2)Sendinyourapplicationbyregisteredpostasthiswillenableyoutoreceiveanacknowledgementofthereceipt.Keepthe
acknowledgementsafely
3)Inyourapplication,statethattheinformationbeprovidedtoyouinwrittenform,andsentbyregisteredpost
4)Ensureyourquestionsareallrelatedtothesubjectathand,andthattheyaretothepoint
5)Iftheinformationsoughtbyyouishandledbymorethanonedepartment,itismandatoryforyourapplicationtobeforwardedtotheother
departmentsconcerned.Therecipientofyourapplicationshouldintimateyouoftheforwarding,andtheotherdepartmentsshouldprovide
theinformationwithin30daysofthereceiptoftheapplication
Formorehelp,logontotheRTIFoundationofIndiaforacompleteguide.
Writetousatchennaidesk@thehindu.co.inand/orpingusatourTwitteraccount@ChennaiConnectwithyourfeedback
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