Need info through RTI, be patient and wait before CIC clears 38,000 pending appeals

By Newsgram Staff Writer

Getting information through Right to Information or RTI applicantion is not a child's play. Whether you want to know about the utilisation of funds in any government run projects in your locality or you are eager to seek information from the Prime Minister's Office, the Supreme Court or the Municipal Corporation, patience is the mantra for you.

The government disclosed that close to 38,000 second appeals under the Right to Information Act or RTI are pending with the Central Information Commission or CIC in a written reply to Loksabha this year. According to the government data as many as 22,000 appeals were waiting to be heard till August last year.

"The Prime Minister's Office is among the top public authorities to reject the maximum number of RTI applications received by them during 2013-14'' states CIC Annual Report.

RTI activists believe that the delay in appointment of a new Chief Information Commissioner, after the former CIC chief Rajiv Mathur retired in August last year can be one of the reason. RTI Act clearly mentions that the applications and first appeals are required to be mandatorily disposed off within 30 days of their receipt. However, no time limit has been prescribed for disposal of second appeals pending with the CIC.