COIMBATORE:
Citing two instances of Government officials not being aware of the
latest Government Orders on the Right to Information Act, the Coimbatore
Consumer Cause has pointed out to the State Government that the situation
was not appreciable and sought its intervention.
The Secretary
of Coimbatore Consumer Cause (CCC), K.Kathirmathiyon, has sent a memorandum
to the Secretary to Government (Home Department) and the Chief Secretary
in this connection.
Taking
public interest into consideration, the Government issued GO enabling
the people to remit the Right to Information Act application fee through
Court fee stamp based on the recommendations of the Tamil Nadu State
Information Commission. The decision was found to be very convenient
for the information seekers rather than making a trip to the treasury
for remitting the fee and enclosing a challan.
Information
Recently,
the CCC sought information from the Regional Transport Officer - Coimbatore
North i.e., the PI0 (the designated Principal Information Officer) and
submitted its application under Section 6 (1) of RTI on June 21,2007.
The application was submitted along with the fee of Rs.10 through court
fee stamp.
The Public
Information Officer (RTO) had returned the application citing the reason
as “Court fee stamp affixed in the application was not acceptable
as per the Right to Information Act 2005”.
Application
fee
The CCC
in its application had mentioned that ‘the application fee was remitted
by affixing a court fee stamp for Rs.10 as per G.O.(MS) 72 dated March
23, 2007 issued by Personnel and Administrative (AR III) Department.”
But the PIO turned down the application, despite a specific mention
about the Government Order number with date based on which the court
fee stamp was affixed in lieu of the fee. The PIO even if he was not
aware of the Government Order should have verified the details mentioned
in the application i.e., regarding the GO. The rejection of the application
was not only a blatant act of exhibiting ignorance about the Government
order but also the unwillingness of the officials to verify the details
(i.e., the GO) mentioned in the application.
The CCC
noted with serious concern that when the information officer himself
was not aware of the latest GO how they could expect the people to quote
the latest orders. Even if it was quoted and if the officials are not
prepared to see to it, then the matter needs some serious action.
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