What if RTI is not answered within 30 days

The Right to Information Act’s main objective is to give citizens more power. To do this, the government of the nation should seek to encourage accountability and openness in the work that is done by the government, eliminate corruption, and truly make democracy work for the people. Citizens who are well-informed are better equipped and ready to monitor the tools of governance and hold the government more responsive to the public. This Act is a significant step in the direction of educating the populace about the actions taken by the government.

The Right to Information Act’s goals are listed below:

1. To guarantee the citizens’ access to information.
2. To encourage information transparency.
3. To encourage transparency in administration.
4. To avoid the administrative arbitrary behavior.
5. To make sure that public administration is accountable.
6. To stop corruption
7. A democracy cannot function properly without informed voters.To make the governed responsible for the government and its agents.
8. Make the government more responsive, to put it simply.

Who Can File an RTI?

1. The candidate must be an Indian citizen.
2. The request must include all necessary facts and figures in full.
3. The application fee payment receipt has to be hemmed in.
4. A reply should be sent to the candidate at their listed address.
5. Private information that is not necessary for contacting the applicant is not required to be disclosed.

Procedure of Filing an RTI:

1. The Act suggests a straightforward procedure for gathering information. However, certain public venues have their own unique formats; you are not required to follow the recommended setup.
2. Classify the constituent part from which you seek information, as some issues are within the control of the Central government, while others are under the control of State governments, local governments, or Panchayats.
3. The application can be filed manually or electronically in either English, Hindi, or the local tongue.
4. To write the application, one can also enlist a public information officer’s help.
5. The State/Central Public Information Officer must receive applications. Give the name of the department from which you want information, together with the full, precise address.
6. Indicate your request in the form that is required and the season or year that it pertains to. The applicant is needed to pay Rs. 2 per page in order to obtain papers. To submit the request, Rs 10 must be paid in cash, by bank draught, by money order, or with a court fee stamp. The stamp needs to be on the application.
7. BPL applicants are exempt from making any form of payment as long as they include a copy of their BPL certificate with their application.
8. You must sign the application properly and include your entire name, address, phone number, and email address. Send your application to the appropriate department via postal mail or deliver it personally.

First Appeal Under RTI Act:

The RTI applicant’s legal option is to file the first appeal if the public information officer does not respond within the allotted time period, their decision is unsatisfactory, they provided inaccurate or misleading information, they demanded an excessive additional price, etc. A First Appeal must be submitted, according to RTI Act Section 19(1).

First appeal can be filed by:

1. A person who made an RTI application was displeased with the lack of a response, an inadequate response, or inaccurate information.
2. Any third parties with whom the information requested is associated or who have provided it and considered it as confidential.

First Appellate Authorities:

1. The First Appellate Authority (FAA), who is an officer with a rank higher than PIO, should receive the First Appeal.
2. The PIO’s decision letter itself must include information about the First Appellate Authority.
3. When the PIO does not respond or make a decision, it is preferable to look up FAA information on the public authority’s website (RTI link).
4. The office of public authority can be contacted by phone for more information on the FAA.
5. Alternatively, if the PIO’s office is closer to the applicant, he can go there and get the information from the RTI Notice Board.
6. If the applicant is unable to obtain the name or the address of the FAA, the applicant may address the First Appeal as “The First Appellate Authority under RTI, Office of……………………………,” and mail it to the PIO’s address.
7. Additionally, a First Appeal may be submitted to APIO for subsequent submission to the FAA.
8. The FAA must give the appellant a personal hearing in accordance with the natural justice principles. At the conclusion of the appeal, the appellant who wishes to be heard by the FAA must mention it. If the appellant finds it inconvenient to attend the hearing, he may mention this request in his appeal. Hearings on the First Appeal are not required to be attended.