RTI ACT - DOPT ORDERS ON PAYMENT OF FEE

RTI ACT - DOPT ORDERS ON PAYMENT OF FEE

PAYMENT OF FEE UNDER THE RTI ACT

DOPT clarifies that if any additional fee is charged for providing the information sought for except prescribed under the Rules 6(1); 7(1); and 7(5), then the same would be construed as contravention of the RTI Act. It is also clarified that the meaning of "Further Fee" prescribed under Rule 7(3) is only the procedure to avail the "Further Fee" mentioned under Rule 7(5) and not anything additional. It is also reieterated that since under the RTI Act there is no provision to charge towards Postal expenses or towards the cost of man power involved in supplying the information sought, such cost cannot be claimed from applicants. However if the information sought for in a particular 'form' that would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority, then those are already covered under Rule 7(9) of the Act which says that supply of information in a 'particular form' may be refused if supply of information in that form would divert the resources of the public authority disproportionately.
ll text of the DOPT orders please click the Link below:

http://persmin.gov.in/WriteData/CircularNotification/ScanDocument/RTI/12_9_2009-IR.pdf
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K.Ragavendran

Secretary General NFPE