Law
In May 2005, the national Right to Information Act 2005 was passed by Parliament. The RTI Act 2005 received Presidential assent on 15 June and came fully into force on 12 October 2005. (For more information on the passage of the RTI Act 2005 and implementation at the national level, click here.) The RTI Act 2005 covers all Central, State and local government bodies and applies to the State Government of Gujarat.
The Gujarat Government has started implementing the RTI Act 2005. For RTI Fee and Cost Rules and RTI Appeals Rules issued by the Government of Gujarat click here for (Gujarati); click here for (English).
For a list of Public Information Officers and Appellate Authorities designated by the State Government, click here.
Details of Fee & Costs
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Application
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Rs 20 (electronic application-- fees to be submitted within 7 days)No fees payable for a person below poverty line (BPL)
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Mode of payment
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Cash/demand draft/ pay-order/non-judicial stamp
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Additional Fees:
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A-4, A-3 paper
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Rs 2 per page
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Larger paper
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Actual cost
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Publication
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Actual price
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Floppy/disk
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Rs 50
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Samples, models , photograph
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Actual cost
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Inspection of records
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First hour free, Rs 20 for each subsequent half hour
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Where there is a prior arrangement or system in place, there the above additional fees will not be levied. The charges/fees as prevelent before will be payable by the applicant
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Second Appeals and complaints against non-disclosure of information may be filed with the Gujrat State Information Commission.
State Information Commission Contact Details
Karmayogi Bhavan, State Level Offices
Block No. 1, Second Floor, sector-10 A Gandhinagar
Phone :- +91 79 232 52706, 52966
FAX :- +91 79 232 52829
Email : sec-gic@gujarat.gov.in ; gscic@gujarat.gov.in
website: http://gic.gujarat.gov.in/default.aspx
Newsupdates, Activities & Advocacy
- The Gujarat Government has decided to appoint Rabi Narayan Das, a Gujarat cadre IAS officer , as the next chief information commissioner (CIC). He takes over Dr PK Das who retires after eight months in office. Rabi Narayan Das is at present working as secretary, food and public distribution, Government of India. One of the important thing, the new CIC would have to confront is the Gujarat government circular (dated November 14, 2005) which disallows, under RTI, state officials to part with file notings made in the process of decision-making. The circular also disallows officials to part with information under the RTI on an official against whom an inquiry is pending. Click here to read the story.
- Former IAS officer, Mr P K Das has been appointed the Gujarat State Chief Information Commissioner. The new Chief Information Commissioner will soon begin to visit offices of public authorities across the State to see if the Act is being effectively implemented. Das and his staff (which includes a registrar of the rank of deputy secretary, an assistant registrar and two stenographers) have started functioning from a portion of the Bureau of Economics and Statistics building in Gandhinagar. Das has said State Information Commissioners will be appointed after assessing the workload of the Commission.
- The Gujarat Government has worked out a mechanism to enable people to apply for information online. The website - www.gujaratindia.com - will soon have a special window providing links to the various State departments.
- Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS), an NGO, has complained that departments are insisting on applications being made in a particular format, even though under the RTI Act an application can be given on plain paper. The State Chief Information Commissioner has issued a clarification stating that the format is not mandatory but was suggested to facilitate order.
- Janpath Citizen's Initiative (a platform for NGOs working in Gujarat) has been very active in promoting the right to information nationally and in the State of Gujarat. Since the RTI Act 2005 came into force, Janpath has been advocating with the Government for its effective implementation and has been raising awareness on the Act amongst the media and the public. Most recently, Janpath, in association with citizens and other organisations, organised a media briefing on the problems faced by applicants since the Act came into force.
- For further information: Contact, Harinesh Pandya, Secretary, Janpath Citizen's Initiative, B-3, Sahajanand Towers, Jivaraj Park, Vejalpur road, Ahmedabad 380051, Gujarat. Tel: +91 (079) 26821553, 26820719, 26821190. Email: janpath1ad1@wilnetonline.net
- Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel (Gujarat Initiatives for Right to Information) is a forum of organisations and activists working on promoting the right to information in Gujarat. The forum is currently hosted by Janpath at its office in Ahmedabad.
- For further information: Contact, Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel, C/O Janpath, B-3, Sahajanand Towers, Jivaraj Park, Vejalpur road, Ahmedabad 380051, Gujarat. Tel: + 91 (079) 26821553/0719. Email:rtigujarat@yahoo.co.in .
Resources & Articles
Government
CHRI
Miscellaneous
- Janpath (2005) Right to Information Act 2005 (Gujarati).
- Janpath (2005) Summary of RTI Act 2005 (Gujarati).
- Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel (2005) Advocacy Efforts since June 2005.
- Staff Reporter (2005) A Month Later, RTI Still on Paper, 12 November,Ahmedabad Newsline, Indian Express.
- Staff Reporter (2005) NGO Demands Balance Sheet on Water Use, 23 October, Ahmedabad Newsline, Indian Express.
- Bashir Pathan (2005) Das Says He's Ready for the Job, 23 October,Ahmedabad Newsline, Indian Express.
- Rupam Jain Nair (2005) This Quake Victim Wants to 'Know', 22 October,Ahmedabad Newsline, Indian Express.
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