Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Vinson M. Paul has instructed officials to issue documents sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act at the earliest without waiting for the mandatory 30-day period.
Speaking at a workshop on the RTI here on Thursday, he said the officials were responsible for keeping the documents in good condition and if they noticed any damage, their superiors should be informed immediately. “If they fail to follow the procedures, there is no point in arguing that the documents have been destroyed by termites. In such cases, the officials should try to recreate the documents,” he said.
Fixed charge
“If data from other offices are also required, the applicant should be made aware of this and a copy of his application should be forwarded to the department concerned. There is no need to travel to collect information from other places and the applicant should not be charged anything more than the amount fixed as per the Act,” he said.
“If private details of a person are sought, permission should be acquired before revealing the details. In the case of ongoing investigations, make sure that the information will not harm the progress of the case,” he said.
He said RTI appeals could not be rejected just because the applicant could not appear at the office.
