Guwahati: Chief information commissioner, Central Information Commission, YK Sinha addressed a conference of information commissioners of the Northeastern region here on Wednesday and stressed the speedy disposal of RTI (Right to Information) petitions at the application level and making dissemination at the first interface level easier and faster.
“The first appellate authorities also have a very important role. If the state public information officers (SPIOs) and central public information officers (CPIOs) can dispose of the petitions at the application level, and if the first appellate authorities also ensure that the information sought is furnished as requested, then citizens will not have to approach the information commission,” Sinha said.
Sinha is a former Indian Foreign Service cadre officer and has served as the former Ambassador and High Commissioner to various countries.
“The RTI Act provides for uploading information in the departmental websites. If all public authorities do this sincerely, then citizens will not be required to seek information by using the RTI Act at all,” he said at the conference held under the auspices of the Assam Information Commission and National Federation of Information Commissions in India (NFICI).
Sinha stressed accessing information held by private organisations by using provisions of the RTI Act.
“Private organisations are registered with different government departments and agencies, and information can be accessed through those agencies,” he said.
He called upon public authorities to remain alert against certain mischievous elements who try to misuse provisions of the RTI Act.
“There are certain mischievous elements that try to use the RTI Act to harass and blackmail public authorities. Some people also submit frivolous applications. Such cases should be handled with care. The Act cannot be allowed to be misused for ulterior motives,” Sinha said.
The CIC also lauded the efforts of the Assam State Information Commission in ensuring zero pendency of cases related to RTI in the state.
This achievement, he further added, is a testament to the efficient and effective implementation of the Act in Assam.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Assam chief information commissioner Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta underlined the importance of information in empowering the common people.
“Most people use the RTI Act for genuine problems and grievances. Hence, it has been the duty of the information commission to ensure that public authorities furnish information as promptly as possible when an RTI application is submitted,” he said.
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Information commissioners from the Northeastern states, who took part in the conference, raised issues related to certain practical problems arising in the process of disposing of appeals and complaints.
The Assam State Information Commission and the Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development (OKDISCD), Guwahati also organised a lecture and interaction on the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005.
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