RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT,2005

Government of India has enacted the Right to Information Act,2005 and published in extraordinary Gazette Part-II, Sec. I dated 21.06.2005.

Guidelines for Information Seekers

A citizen, who desires to obtain any information under the Act, should make an application to the Public Information Officer in writing in English or Hindi or in the official language of the area in which the application is made. The application should be precise and specific. He should make payment of application fee at the time of submitting the application as prescribed under RTI Rules. The applicant can send the application by post or through electronic means or can deliver it personally in the office of the Public Authority.

The applicant should not list out his grievances in the RTI application, but should clearly mention the exact information that he would like to seek. Further, if the drafting of the application is such that it pin points towards the specific documents required in relation to the information sought, there would be less scope for ambiguity.

Fee for Seeking Information

In terms of the Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules,2005, as amended from time to time, the following is the fee chargeable for seeking information.

Application Fee

A request for obtaining information under sub-section (1) of Section 6 of the RTI Act, 2005, shall be accompanied by an application fee of Rupees 10/- by way of cash against proper receipt or Demand Draft or a Banker’s Cheque or an Indian Postal Order payable to the Accounts Officer of the Public Authority. The payment of fee can also be made by way of cash to the Public Authority.

In respect of the Regional Training Centre, Karnataka, Bangalore, the fee can be paid by way of cash or by way of Demand Draft or Banker’s Cheque or Indian Postal Order payable to the ‘Pay and Accounts Officer, Indian Audit Department’, Bangalore.

Further Fees For Providing Information:

Fee shall be charged by way of cash against proper receipt or by Demand Draft or Banker’s Cheque payable to the Accounts Officer of the Public Authority, at the following rates, for providing information under sub-section (1) of Section 7 of the RTI Act, 2005.

• Rupees Two for each page (inA-4 or A-3 size paper) created or copied.
• Actual charge or Cost Price of a copy in larger size paper.
• Actual cost or price for samples or models; and
• For inspection of records, no fee for the first hour and a fee of Rs.5/- for each subsequent hour (or fraction thereof).

In respect of the Regional Training Centre, Karnataka, Bangalore, the DD or Banker’s cheque or IPO should be drawn in favour of the ‘Pay and Accounts Officer/ Indian Audit Department’, Bengaluru.

Appeals

An applicant can file an appeal to the First Appellate Authority if the information is not supplied to him in the prescribed time of 30 days or 48 Hrs, as the case may be, or is not satisfied with the information furnished to him. Such an appeal should be filed within 30 days from the date on which the limit of 30 days of supply of information has expired or from the date on which the information or decision of the Public Information Officer is received. The First Appellate Authority shall dispose of the appeal within a period of 30 days or in exceptional cases within 45 days of receipt of appeal.

The First Appeal has to be addressed to the Appellate Authority/Regional Training Centre, Karnataka, Bengaluru.

If the First Appellate Authority fails to pass an order on the appeal within the prescribed period or if the appellant is not satisfied with the order of the First Appellate Authority, he may prefer a second appeal with the Central Information Commission, Room No.326, 2nd Floor, August Kranti Bhavan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi-110 066, under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act,2005, within ninety days from the date on which the decision should have been made by the Appellate Authority or was actually received by the appellant. While preferring appeals before the Central Information Commission, the appellant should forward a copy of the second appeal to the CPIO and First Appellate Authority.

The Regional Training Centre, Karnataka, Bangalore, consists of the following wings, whose main functions are as follows.

Administration

Deals with appointments, recruitments, promotions and deputation of the staff  of this office. The fixation of their pay and settlement of pensionary benefits. Conducting Departmental Examination and imparting training to the staff.

Maintenance of Service Records, Preparation of Salary Bills, settlement of claims of the employees

Overall Maintenance of the office and Estate Management of IA&AD.

Looking after the welfare of the staff.