RBI refused information.

[sidmis]

RBI has refused to consider my RTI Application saying that it's not a valid mode of payment
under th RTI Act. What shall I do now? Shall I complain to CIC or oblige the RBI with IPO/DD.

Where is the latest copy of Right to Information (Regulation of Fees & Cost) Rules, 2005 is available?

I am posting the scanned copy of the RBI's letter for members to view and comment and give valuable advise.

Sidmis

[ganpat1956]

Dear Sidmis,
You have not specified your mode of remittance of RTI application fees. If you had remitted the same through a designated post office, then it is a valid mode of payment. For further details, please refer to the latest decision on this matter which is available in the post number 2 of the thread Bank of Baroda refuses Postal Order.

[sidmis]

Hello Ganpat1956,

Thanks for the quick reply. I paid through the designated post office and by Cash through UCR.
What shall I do now? I am thinking of shooting off a Complain to CIC.
Where shall I get a copy of RTI (Regulation of Fees & Cost) Rules, 2005 ? Is there any downloadable version available anywhere?
I have seen that order and feel that I have a good case in my hand.

Sid

[ganpat1956]

Just shoot a letter to the PIO of RBI stating that they are not in order in refusing information because you had remitted the money through a valid mode of payment. Also remember to quote them this decision of CIC so that they also update their knowledge. Demand your information within 30 days of their receipt of your original RTI application.

Only if you do not get a proper response, then you make a complaint to the CIC. No point in making a complaint to CIC right now which will only lengthen the process.

[ganpat1956]

Colonel Sahib,
There is a mix up in this thread. Sidmis sought a clarification for his query under this thread, instead of creating a new one. I too replied for the same here itself. Please rest assured that there is no disagreement whatsoever with the views of Shri Manoj Pai to the original query of Shri Satish Rao.

[sidmis]

Sidmis sought a clarification for his query under this thread,
instead of creating a new one.

I Hope I am not making any inconviniences.
I also request the Admin to put this thread in an appropriate place.

[Abhinav Bohare]

See sometimes it may be lack of knowledge with the staff dealing with the RTI ...It has been found in many cases....We should give considerations too...

So as Ganpat is saying ...He is absolutely correct...write to the PIO 1st ...as you need information and not another process wherein the things would be prolonged....

Please write to the PIO and in case the things are not sorted out sort the CIC

[crusader]

More than the point raised by you can you share the question you had asked from RBI?

[sidmis]

Hello Crasader,

More than the point raised by you can you share the question
you had asked from RBI?

Most of the the questions related to "No Frills Accounts".
Once I receive the replies from RBI I shall post a scanned copy of it to the forurm.

Regds,

Sidmis

[ganpat1956]

Hello Sidmis,
Next time when you are posting scanned copies, please make it an enlarged version, to avoid eye-strain on the part of the viewer.

Regards,
Ganpat

[sidmis]

Next time when you are posting scanned copies, please make it an enlarged version,
to avoid eye-strain on the part of the viewer.

Thanks Ganpat for pointing out the troubles. I was expecting a reaction
like that while posting.
But I had to scale down the resolution because there exist some
Forum restrictions on high res images.
I am thinking of putting up all my RTI Queries & Replies at some other place
and put a link to the forum. That will be a better alternative.

Sid

[kushal]

If you have many images to upload, offcourse you can avail of the free image hosting service here:
ImageShack® - Hosting

See how I had uploaded the image and published it here.

[Debashis Basu]

Great Kushal !

[karira]

Sidmis,

1. In all this, no one gave you the copy of the Rules !
They are attached (in English and Hindi) in pdf format.

2. As per CIC decision http://cic.gov.in/CIC-Orders/Decision_17052007_01.pdf , some changes
were made. I am quoting the relevant portion of the above order:

Under notification No. GSR-294-E of 17.5.06 the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension has notified that under the RTI (Regulation of fee and costs), 2005,in rules 3, 4 & 5 after the words “Banker’s cheque” the words “Indian Postal Order” shall be inserted.

I really do not know if any more changes have been made.

[mpai]

Originally Posted by sidmis

Thanks for the quick reply. I paid through the designated post office and by Cash through UCR.
What shall I do now? I am thinking of shooting off a Complain to CIC.

Sid

UCR or ACG-67 receipt is a valid for of fee, when applications are sent through the APIO, Post Office. Hope you did not send it directly to the RBI?

Manoj

[sidmis]

There's a happy ending to this RTI Query. Some days back I received a big packate from RBI containing much of the information I requested from them. And not a single penny was asked.

Actually I received the info from RBI after the complaint was filed.

The status of my complaint is not known. It still shows like this.
Action-Status : Comments Sought from CPIO

I had no idea how to withdraw my complaint. So I sent a letter to CIC requesting them to consider my complaint as closed. But there's no response from the CIC till date.


So what should be done now?

Sidmis

[jps50]

I think RBI has not designated Post Offices as ACPIO and hence it is asking for Rs10 through cash, demand draft or postal order. Even all central govt depts have also not designated post offices as ACPIO. List of depts/organisations can be checked on website of post dept: indiapost.gov.in. It is better to pay Rs.10 by cash,bank D.D. or IPO [ipo is cheapest] rather than wasting time and energy in complaining etc, if one is really interested in information.

[sidmis]

I think RBI has not designated Post Offices as ACPIO

Hello JPS,
There might be some ambiguity in using the Postal Route(u/s 6.3). But it has been accepted norm now for a lot of Central Public Authorities including RBI.

The CIC has been very explicit on this. So the RBI has also amended it's ways accordingly. Apart from that single issue, there is absolutely no refusal from RBI to any of my queries. That was a freak incident, I suppose.

Somehow I am lucky with RBI, because till date I never paid anything to RBI for any information supplied by them.
Sec. 7(6) effect ! !

Sidharth

P.S. Your suggestion for IPO is very much pertinent and should be used invariably.

[sidmis]

RBI has not designated Post Offices as ACPIO.

I understand that no PAs are required to appoint Post Offices as designated CAPIO.
This provision is in-built in sec. 6(3).

In my above complaint case the RBI has submitted a letter (issued by Dept. of post) before the CIC saying that UCR / ACG-67 are only for internal use only. i.e. use of UCR/ACG is restricted for use by Dept. of post only.

Although RBI has grudgingly accepted that they will honor UCRs/ACGs henceforth.

UCRs/ACG-67 cannot be used for other Public Authorities.

This letter is signed by a senior officer of the Dept. of Post.

Is this contention right?

Sidharth

[sidmis]

I have uploaded that file for the members to see and comment.


I will email this page to those members who have difficulties in viewing this image here.

Sidharth