GIC: No charge if info given after 30 days

[sidmis]

GIC: No charge if info given after 30 days
As Reported in Times of India |18 Aug 2008 TNN

AHMEDABAD: An applicant was asked to pay Rs 8,416 towards photocopying charges for information that he demanded under the Right to Information (RTI) Act last year. But, Gujarat Information Commission
(GIC) has ruled that it has to be now given free of cost as the demand
was made months after the limit of 30 days for giving information.

Jesang Parmar of Vankarwas in Kesardi of Bavla taluka had, under RTI,
sought information on eight point issues from the public information
officer (PIO) at the mamlatdar office of Bavla in March last year.
This was in pursuance of Parmar's twoyear quest of using his right to
know and demand accountability from public servants in Bavla.

The PIO sent a letter to Parmar asking him to pay Rs 8,416 towards
photocopying charges and only after payment of these charges
information would be provided to him. Parmar appealed against this
decision before appellate authority. The authority heard the appeal
and decided that once Parmar pays the fee demanded, information should
be provided immediately. While lodging his appeal before the appellate
authority, Parmar had simultaneously complained to the GIC.

At the hearing before GIC, Parmar argued that he had made his
application under RTI on March 29 last year. The letter informing him
of photocopying charges stated that this was an 'estimated' cost, and
hence he had not paid the fees.

GIC held that as Parmar had sought information under RTI on March 29,
the demand for charges made on June 1 was inconsistent with the
provisions of RTI. Under RTI, an applicant has to be given information
within 30 days and if it cannot be disclosed then reasons are required
to be given.

As the PIO's demand was made after 30 days, it ordered that the
information sought be given within 10 days free of cost.

GIC: No charge if info given after 30 days-Ahmedabad-Cities-The Times of India