IN-FOCUS: NRIs face difficulty in availing RTI facility

The Times of India , 4 April 2009

[To read this in Hindi language  , click here  ]

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NEW DELHI: Non-resident Indians are finding it difficult to take advantage of the Right to Information Act with complaints of a cumbersome process of fee-payment for information seekers living outside India.

An RTI applicant Commodore Lokesh Batra raised the issue with Indian mission in Washington citing problems faced by NRIs in filing RTI applications.

"There is no definite procedure to deposit the fee of Rs 10 from there (USA) to the public authority anywhere in India which is a big difficulty for accessing the information," Batra said.

According to the Indian Embassy website, people can submit applications along with documentary proof of Indian citizenship (like copy of personal particulars pages of passport) and send prescribed fee in dollars, equivalent to Indian Rs 10 in cheque or demand draft.

However, "they need to send the fee directly to public authority here in India for which the process is quiet vague," Batra said.

"From abroad, payment in India in Rupees for RTI Fee is a cumbersome process, especially when different modes of payment and amount being prescribed and accepted by Center, State Governments and other Public Authorities like Courts

"For instance in Uttar Pradesh, one has to apply and paste treasury stamp for getting copy of State Information Commission's order. How can a person travel all the way from America to paste stamp and get the information?" he asked.

According to official data, Indian Embassy in Washington had received a total of 27 and 44 applications under the RTI Act in 2008 and 2007 respectively.

The Embassy also advised 33 applicants to send their applications directly to the concerned PIOs as they had no connection with the working and responsibilities of the Mission.

Asked about the complaints, Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi here said, "I am not aware of the matter. I need to look into details before commenting on the matter. But apparently it seems that NRIs may be facing certain difficulties in accessing information under the Right to Information Act."

To read the original The Times of India news in English, go to:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Indians-Abroad/NRIs-face-difficulty-in-availing-RTI-facility/articleshow/4357701.cms

To read the news in Hindi language, go to:

http://hindi-cns.blogspot.com/2009/04/blog-post_06.html