Here are some notes on the procedure for obtaining information under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) in detail:
- Section 7 of the RTI Act sets out the procedure for requesting information under the Act.
- The procedure is as follows:
- The requester must submit a written request to the PIO.
- The request must be in English or in the language of the region in which the public authority is located.
- The request must be signed by the requester or by someone authorized to act on their behalf.
- The request must be accompanied by a fee of Rs. 10 or Rs. 50, depending on the type of information being requested.
- The PIO must acknowledge the receipt of the request within 7 days of receiving it.
- The PIO must provide the information within 30 days of receiving the request.
- If the PIO is unable to provide the information within 30 days, they must explain the reasons for the delay and provide the information within a further 30 days.
Here are some of the important things to keep in mind when requesting information under the RTI Act:
- Make sure that you are requesting information from the correct PIO.
- Be clear about the information that you are requesting.
- Be polite and respectful when interacting with the PIO.
- Follow up on your request if you have not received a response within a reasonable time.
If you are not satisfied with the response of the PIO, you can appeal to the Information Commission. The Information Commission is a statutory body that is responsible for resolving disputes under the RTI Act.