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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | ‘Frivolous’ info seekers on rise, defeat purpose of RTI Act by Manoj More

‘Frivolous’ info seekers on rise, defeat purpose of RTI Act by Manoj More

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published Published on Jan 6, 2011   modified Modified on Jan 6, 2011

An RTI applicant last week stumped State Information Commissioner (SIC) Vijay Kuvalekar when he demanded that the district collectorate provide him with copies of various Acts under the Indian Penal Code. The Public Information Officer and the Appellate Authority rejected his application.

An exasperated SIC told the applicant that he could get the copies from the market. “Why do you have to move an RTI application for this?” Kuvalekar said. The man insisted that he wanted the copies and would abide by the directives of the SIC. Kuvalekar then directed the district collectorate officials to make the necessary arrangement, if possible, and then collect the relevant amount from the applicant.

“The RTI is about seeking relevant information from various civic and government deparments,” said Kuvalekar, adding that such “frivolous” complaints were defeating the very purpose of the RTI Act.

Recalling another such appeal, Kuvalekar said a citizen had once sought information of last 18 years about Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran. “Every minute detail regarding tenders, procedures, issue dates, functions, objectives were sought. People do not seek specific details. Several of the information relating to government institutions are available on the Internet and books, yet people seek the same information,” he said. “There have also been applications to know about the community of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Officials have no other option but to deny giving the information,” said Kuvalekar.

He cited another instance where a corporator sought information which ran into over 1 lakh pages. “After the civic body from whom the information was sought, demanded over Rs 1 lakh, the applicant-corporator refused to collect the information by paying the amount which is legal under RTI.” “Hundreds of applicants are seeking irrelevant information which is not in public interest nor in their own,” he said.

RTI acivist Vijay Kumbhar said “frivolous” complaints were impending the RTI movement.

“The SIC can’t even fine such applicants who waste the time of the authority. There should have been a provision in the RTI Act about imposing fine for such applications like it is done by the courts,” he said.

Meanwhile, RTI activist Arun Mane said at the moment his RTI campaign would be restricted to small-time fraudsters. “But once my mother and brother recover, I will resume my RTI mission,” he said.

The Indian Express, 6 January, 2011, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/frivolous-info-seekers-on-rise-defeat-purpose-of-rti-act/734068/


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