[chanda_s]

i view the issue slightly differently.

section 7(6) as quoted above by mpai says that information shall be provided free of cost if "Public Authority fails to comply with the time limits specified in sub-section (1 )."

but it may be seen that the subsection (1) being referred to says :

Subject to the proviso to sub-section (2) of section 5 or the proviso to sub-section (3) of section 6, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, on receipt of a request under section 6 shall, as expeditiously as possible, and in any case within thirty days of the receipt of the request, either provide the information on payment of such fee as may be prescribed or reject the request for any of the reasons specified in sections 8 and 9:

the CPIO may give info or refuse it within the time frame. it is apparent that the CPIO in this case has refused to give information. which means requisite fees needs to be paid only if the CPIO had refused information AFTER 30 DAYS of application. if the CPIO has refused to give the info within 30 days, then i am afraid the fees has to be paid.