The Brave Pedestrian

Maharashtra Government‘s RTI Rules are almost identical with Central Government’s RTI rules, with only tiny differences. The rules are: Form of application. RTI application should generally be filed in format given as Annexture A of the Rules. Word limit and subject: Each RTI application should only be about one subject, and the queries or requests under the heading ‘Description of Information‘, should not exceed 150 words. You can file additional RTI applications on same subject, if your queries exceed 150 words, or you want information on more than one subject. For Central government, the word limit is 500 words. Application fee. Application fee of Rs.10/- are to be paid by affixing Court Fee Stamp or Indian Postal Order (IPO) or bank’s demand draft or banker’s cheque in favour of public authority from whom information is sought, or in cash at the concerned office against receipt. Copying charges. Information in A-3 o...

RTI Appellants can use Section 18 to improve their chances of  getting Public Information Officers (PIOs) penalized by sacrificing their demand for getting the requested information.   A strictly legal interpretation of this section of Right to Information Act 2005 leaves the PIO and the public authority (and also the Information Commissioner) with relatively less room for escaping. Read section 18(3) with care. It says: “ The… Information Commission… shall, while inquiring into any matter  under this section,  have the same powers as are vested in a civil court while trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, in respect of the following matters­” Please note: Sec 18(3) confers the special civil-court-like powers  only while enquiring into Complaints, and not while deciding on appeals under section 19. Check out this detailed comparison of Complaint and Appeal u/s Section 18 and 19: 1. SYSTEM REFORM versus GETTING INFORMATION u  Comp...

Dear Concerned Citizens, How much effort is required to choke a person to death? Is it necessary to -- a)              surgically remove his lungs? b)              cut his windpipe? c)               obstruct 100% of his air-supply for one hour? The answer to all these questions is: NO. Killers smother their victims with nothing more than a handkerchief or pillow. After struggling for 30 seconds, most victims lose all hope, and their struggling become weak and ineffective. The bureaucracy uses this technique to routinely murder citizens’ initiatives and participatory democracy. Every year, millions of ordinary-looking caterpillars dramatically transform into butterflies. Similarly, every year, a few thousand ordinary folks in Indian cities and villages attain spiritual maturity and transfor...