FRAMING OF questions while filing a complaint under the Right to Information Act (RTI) is important. The first few questions should be able to fix the accountability of the officers of the department. The questions should ideally be framed to strike the officers when they read the complaint the very first time, said former DGP Ishwar Chand Dwivedi.
He said: “Complainants must follow it up with questions on daily progress since the department received the complaint, name of officer supposed to take action, what action would be taken against the officials for not ignoring the job and by what time the work would be complete. The questions should be hitting, simple and objective.”According to Dwivedi, it is not necessary to write on forms prepared by any department. Dwivedi said: “Complainants may file petition on a plain sheet of paper.
They have to deposit Rs 10 in cash for asking any specific information.” Retired IPS Officer SK Darapuri said: “No matter for how many pages the question runs, the complainant need not pay any extra money.”According to Darapuri, the information officer has to provide all information the complainants ask for. It is imperative that after receiving a complaint, the information officer must pass on the desired information to the complainant within 30 days after receiving the application, he said.“In case the officer fails to respond within the stipulated period, the complainant may make fresh appeal to his seniors.
Even if senior officials failed to respond in 30 days, the complainant may move a petition with chief information commissioner. If found guilty, the information officer can be penalised with anything from Rs 250 to 25,000 from his salary,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Even if senior officials failed to respond in 30 days, the complainant may move a petition with chief information commissioner. If found guilty, the information officer can be penalised with anything from Rs 250 to 25,000 from his salary,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Hindustan Times, in association with a host of other organisations, is carrying out a campaign against corruption across the country. In Lucknow, an awareness drive for RTI will commence from July 1.