-The Times of India   Barkatullah University will have a separate counter to accept cash from RTI applicants seeking information related to BU issues soon. The facility will save RTI applicants from paying more money, the university registrarsaid. The decision came a day after the TOI carried a story on how RTI applicants are forced to cough up Rs 27 for a photo copy because the university doesn't accept cash and insists on...

RTI applicants end up paying Rs 27 to get a photocopy of information sought through RTI from Barkatullah University. Reason: the university doesn't accept cash. Left with no option, RTI applicant has to cough up bank commission of Rs 25 for Rs-2 challan.  Barkatullah University deputy registrar B Bharti said: "We do not accept cash. We ask applicants to come with a bank challan if they want photo-copies."  When pointed out, former...

-The Hindu The Central Information Commission has imposed a penalty of Rs.25,000 on the Public Information Officer of the Delhi Government's Urban Development Department for violating provisions of the Right to Information Act by delaying furnishing of information to the appellant on regularisation of unauthorised colonies. The appellant, Bhupender Singh Rawat, who is convener of non-government organisation Jan Sangharsh Vahini, had sought details on 13 points from the Urban Development Department. When...

-DNA Country’s first chief information commissioner (CIC), Wajahat Habibullah, told law and mass communication students about the true strength of the Right To Information (RTI) Act, 2005. He said RTI Act is not a weapon to be used against the government but to strengthen the system, exposing the weaknesses within its functioning. He was speaking at a daylong workshop on ‘RTI and media—Partners for priority’ organised by Symbiosis Institute of Media and...

Did the Supreme Court confirm that sports bodies selecting national teams were public authorities? At least the people opposing the move appear to think so. Minutes of anIndian Olympic Association (IOA) meeting in May 2011 -- accessed through RTI -- suggest that the members were informed of the SC order and were studying the contents.  The interpretation could have a bearing on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI)...