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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Activists urge Chhattisgarh to reduce RTI fees

Activists urge Chhattisgarh to reduce RTI fees

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published Published on Jan 27, 2012   modified Modified on Jan 27, 2012
-The Times of India
 
The National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) expressed "dismay" over the Chhattisgarh assembly's decision to increase RTI application fees by 900% from Rs 50 to Rs 500. Fees per copy has been increased to Rs 15 and the inspection of documents to Rs 50. 

In a statement signed by Venkatesh Nayak, Nikhil Dey, Angela Rangad and Ramakrishna Raju, NCPRI said, "A move of this nature can only be designed to discourage potential RTI users from filing applications. The net result will be to significantly and negatively affect the transparency of the legislative assembly. In particular, chances of the poor using RTI to ask questions and take documents of documents from the legislative assembly will be seriously compromised.'' 

The group added that the issue of exorbitant fees being imposed by various public authorities was raised many times and in some cases the public authority concerned had reconsidered and brought the fees in line with what has become the national norm - Rs 10 per application and Rs 2 per copy. 

NCPRI has strongly urged the Speaker of the Chhattisgarh assembly to reconsider this decision and would like to suggest that the fees be reduced from Rs 50 to Rs 10. 

Earlier, information commissioner in the Central Information Commission Shailesh Gandhi had written to the Chhattisgarh chief minister, Speaker and leader of opposition urging them to reconsider the decision to hike RTI fees. 

Describing the move as "disturbing'' and "unfortunate'', Gandhi said it was "against the spirit and purpose of the RTI Act and would be unwarranted discrimination against citizens who seek information from the legislative assembly. This would give rise to suspicion and speculation that the legislative assembly wishes to discourage citizens from exercising their fundamental right". 

The assembly had ruled that Rs 500 would be charged per application and Rs 15 per page as additional fee. "I am sure the Chhattisgarh assembly will set a good example to promote citizen's fundamental rights and reduce the application fee and the additional fee to Rs 10 and Rs 2 respectively at the earliest,'' he said.


The Times of India, January, 2012, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Activists-urge-Chhattisgarh-to-reduce-RTI-fees/articleshow/11643683.cms


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