Context:
The Supreme Court has launched an online portal that will help citizens file and access applications under the Right to Information (RTI) Act in matters related to the court.
Relevance:
GS II: Government Policies and Interventions
Dimensions of the Article:
- About online RTI portal
- How does the online portal work?
About online RTI portal
- The online RTI portal has been initiated to make it convenient for people to access information about the Supreme Court.
- So far, RTI applications at the Supreme Court had to be filed only via post.
- Various public interest litigation (PILs) had been filed before the Supreme Court seeking an online RTI portal for the Court.
- The online portal is likely to streamline responses of the Supreme Court under the Right to Information Act.
- The applicant can pay the prescribed fee through internet banking, credit/debit card of Master/Visa or UPI.
- The fee per RTI application is ₹10.
- Any applicant who is Below Poverty Line (BPL) is exempted to pay the application fee under the RTI Rules, 2012.
- By law, RTIs must be replied to within 30 days.
- In fact, in life and death cases, RTIs must be responded to within 48 hours.
How does the online portal work?
- The online portal can be accessed at a dedicated url.
- Essentially, the process of filing an RTI in the Supreme Court is the same as how one normally files the application.
- This web portal can be used only by Indian citizens to file RTI applications, first appeals and to make payment for fees, and copying charges, under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act).
- An applicant must first register themselves in the web portal.
-Source: The Hindu
