Right to Information Act or RTI is
What is RTI?
It is a supreme power given to the Indians to bring transparency and accountability in government’s style of functioning and decision making process. This act fights against corruption, and provides every citizen to get a chance to know what is happening in the country.
RTI has been introduced as a revolutionary legislature and for the first time it allowed a citizen to enjoy his real rights of democracy through allowing him to demand disclosure of governmental records and documents within an allotted time period.
It makes government departments to function with more responsibility because their actions are publicly examined through this act. Any Indian citizen can file RTI applications
Basis Features Of RTI Act Followed By The Central And Karnataka Governments
- In India, all the citizens can apply seeking information under RTI.
- But while furnishing RTI application for central government agencies and departments, the residents can use online mode.
- But in Karnataka, there is no online platform to apply seeking information under RTI act. Instead one need to submit an application by writing in hand or typed copy.
- In Karnataka the RTI applications submitted in Kannada and English are preferred. But at central government level English and Hindi are the preferred languages.
- As per the act, the applicants will get information he sought in 30 working days.
- All the Indians can file their RTI application through using the following link https://rtionline.gov.in/
Using this web portal an applicant can file their RTI application/first appeals online. The digital payment can be also done using this link.
How To File An RTI in Karnataka?
An applicant who seeks information under RTI act can make a request through this web portal. This portal can be used to seek information from ministries or departments of government of India.
- The applicant should fill all the required details on the page which appears on the computer screen.
- Applicant’s should notice that filed marked * are mandatory.
- Applicants should provide all the necessary information in the prescribed column.
- Maximum 3000 words can be uploaded in the prescribed column.
- If applicant wants to write more than 3000 words, then he can upload that file as attachment.
- One can use the column `supporting document’ available in the application.
- After filling all the necessary information in the first page, applicant has to click on `Make payment’ to pay a prescribed fee.
RTI Application In Karnataka – Mode of Payment
Government has provided new facilities for RTI users. Applicants can pay prescribed RTI fee using different mode of payment. Payment can be made through:
- Internet banking through SBI and its associate banks.
- ATM cum debit card of State Bank of India
- Debit/credit cards of master/Visa
- Or through RuPay card.
Applicants can use same mode to pay additional RTI fee.
No fee will be charged by a citizen who is Below Poverty Line (BPL), as per RTI rules, 2012. But BPL applicant must attach a photo copy of BPL card along with the RTI application.
After the successful submission of an application, applicant will get an unique registration number and he/she can use that number for future references.
RTI Application In Karnataka – When To Pay Additional Fee?
Additional fee will be charged to provide required information. After submitting your application through RTI Online Portal, you can visit the status of your application through clicking on `View status’ button.
There you will get an intimation to make additional payment. To make an additional payment you can click on `Make Payment’ option available in online portal. Applicant will also get an e-mail alert or SMS for the same.
The application filed through government web portal would reach `Nodal officer’ of concerned ministry or department of the government. Nodal officer will transfer the RTI application to the concerned Central Public Information Officer (CPIO).
Applicant view the status of his/her RTI application throughusing following link: https://rtionline.gov.in/request/status.php
But an applicant can’t file RTI application to seek information from public authorities under the State governments through this portal. Filed applications will be returned without refund of fee amount paid along with the application.
How To File RTI In Karnataka?
Various departments of the government, local governing bodies like Municipal corporations, town councils and Gram Panchayats come under RTI Karnataka act.
After shortlisting, the department/ government agency, a citizen can file an RTI application. The applicant can write your application in a plain paper or can type the application. You can write it in Kannada or English.
After writing about your query, you can submit your application along with the prescribed fee. An applicant should keep in his mind that he should ask questions related to only on one subject. Otherwise, it could be ejected as per RTI act.
In Karnataka RTI fee can be paid through demand draft or by Indian Postal Order. You can send the application through speed post or registered post or you can hand over it in the respective office.
Mobile Application For RTI In Karnataka
Karnataka Information Commission has introduced a mobile application for Android devices. After the submission of RTI application, applicant can check information related to his application like status of the application through downloading this application to his/her mobile. For more information one can visit the http://www.kic.gov.in/sic1cv.do
Success Stories of RTI In Karnataka
Magadi Encroachments
Magadi is a small town located in the outskirts of the Bengaluru city. In the ward number 14 (Jyothi nagar) of the Magadi town municipal council, 100 sites were encroached by the vested interests by creating bogus sanction letters. This encroachment was done in the year 1997. The encroachers were confident that no one will able to trace their crime.
But on Wednesday, February 19 the council authorities removed all the encroachments. Thanks to the Right to Information Act. A local social activist (whose name is withheld as he is facing threat now), collected the information using the RTI act and shared it with the revenue department and the directorate of municipal administration in Bengaluru.
As a result now the authorities removed all the encroachments. 100 site reclaiming by a government agency is biggest such act in recent years in the Karnataka.
Alnavara Revenue Land Illegal Sale
In Alnavara of the Hubballi-Dharwad district between 1975 and 1995, the people’s representatives of the local town panchayat with the help of authorities had sold revenue land to private persons by forging the documents.
The land was belonging to the town panchayat. But in October 2015, the state government reclaimed all the land parcels sold illegally. Thanks to the bunch of RTI applications filed by local residents who had waged a war against land sharks.
MGNREGA Scam In Nandihalli
Nandihalli Mahesh, an RTI activist from Huvinahadagali in Ballari district collected information related to money disbursed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) in a remote village by name Nandihalli from where hundreds of people migrate to various cities looking for jobs.
As per the documents every villager is provided a job under the MGNREGA. But in reality bogus job cards were created by a few contractors. This was exposed in the RTI application which forced the district administration to order for a police investigation.
Tajasultanapura Road Construction Fund Getting Siphoned Off
In Tajasultanapura village in Chincholi taluk of the Kalaburugi district, the local taluk administration had sanctioned Rs.7.5 lakhs for the construction of road in the year 2006-07. But on the ground, no work was carried out but the sanctioned money was siphoned off.
In July 2018, a local resident who came to know about the issue sought information under the RTI. When the local Grama Panchayat PDO declined to reveal the details, resident moved to the State Information Commission.
Now the commission directed the Grama Panchayat authorities to share all the details about the road construction works which expected to reveal the corruption in the road construction works.