Rules in the Right to Information (RTI) Act that have been just notified by the department of personnel and training might end up diluting the Act, said RTI activist Gopalakrishnan.
The new rules notified on July 31 not only put a limit of 500 words but also make it mandatory for an appellant to be present in person or send a representative during case hearing by the Centre of Information Commission.
The new rule allows the CPIO not to be present during hearing and instead allows the public authority to depute a representative or another official. RTI activist feels that the amendments would only lead to delay in getting information.
On the proposal to allow the public authority to depute a representative for the hearing, Gopalakrishnan said, “This amendment will result in lawyers who can represent the CPIOs at taxpayers’ cost or a junior official being deputed by the public authority, contravening the Act.”
Gopalakrishnan said that the 500-word limit mentioned in the notification needs more clarity. “It is clearly mentioned in the notification that one cannot reject an RTI application for crossing the 500-word limit.
However, the CPIO will make use of the provision to delay providing the information,” he said.
Gopalakrishnan questioned the need for a format for filing an appeal before the CIC when there was no such format for filing an RTI application.
“It is stated that no appeal shall be dismissed only on the ground that it has not been made in the specified format, but the authority could ask the appeal to be filed in the prescribed format,” he said.