Fee with RTI application should be paid only through the prescribed mode
26 Oct, 2012Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) seeking information regarding a Wi-Fi connection for which he had submitted the due amount but even after 6 months the Wi-Fi connection has not been provided. The Public Information Officer (PIO) rejected the application stating that the appellant has submitted a 10 rupee note with RTI application which is not accepted under the provisions of the RTI act.
Proceeding
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the respondent submitted that the appellant had sought a Wi-Fi connection but the product was not available at that time, being aggrieved he filed an RTI application initially along with Rs.10/- currency note as fee which was returned to him. Subsequently he paid the fee by way of cheque and point wise reply was sent to him.
View of CIC
The Central Information Commission (CIC) rejected the appeal observing that relevant information has been provided to appellant.
Comment
The RTI Act has prescribed the mode of payment of the application fee and the applicants should strictly adhere to it, so as to avoid the rejection of the application.
Citation: Mr. Dharm Narayan Upadhyay v. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. in File No.CIC/LS/A/2011/004066/BS/0806
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2012/CIC/751
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission