Necessary Amendments To The Rti Act

[kcubelegal]

In my considered opinion, Section7(1) of the RTI ACT requires to be amended to the effect that PIO should provide necessary information to the querist in an AFFIDAVIT , which would prevent or minimise incorrect or incomplete or misleading information from them, as was experienced by us in many cases. This measure would also avoid or reduce our invaluable time which is otherwise needed for preferring an appeal before First Appellate Authority or CIC/SIC.

[colnrkurup]

It does not make any differance. There is already a provision viz.,Section 167 IPC - Public servant framing incorrect document with intend to cause injury .......is liable for punishment upto 3 years with fine or both. False Affidiavit viz., filing a false statement in oath or afirmation also provide the same punishment under 181 IPC..

Further framing false statement and filing false affidavit is a very routine among the PIOs. When this is expossed with documentary evidence nothing happens or rather our bureaucracy does not consider it as an offence. In a particular case when I had reported and even told personally to even the District Collector the reply one get is that it was a mistake. None of them have any answer as to what is the status of information conveyed in the false affidavit. Believe it or not even Sri.Palat Mohandas, the State Chief Information Ciommmissioner of Kerala did not consider a complaint proving with documentary evendence of a false affidavit furnished by the Tahsildar Tellicherry on his own orders.

Do you still feel the necessity of amending Section 7(1) of the RTI Act ?