DOCUMENTS TO BE SUPPLIED FREE BY THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AFTER 30 DAYS


There was an interesting case before the Goa Info Commission where the citizen complained against the mining dept that he was not given the documents asked by him within the statutory period of 30 days and that he is entitiled for free supply of info under Sn 7(6) of the RTI Act. The commission held that this provision is applicable only to the documents mentioned in Sn 7(5) of the Act. That is, only the printed papers or the electronic data. However, the initial application fee of Rs 10 is payable in all cases including the applications for inspection of documents though it is free for the first half hour. It was also held that the citizen cannot be sent away without giving the docs on the day fixed for giving them only on the plea that he did not meet the PIO.


Information Commission is not the forum for deciding whether the certificates produced by an employee are genuine or not.


In another case, a complaint was filed before the GSIC that an employee manipulated his date of birth and action has to be taken against him and the dept for furnishing false info to the citizen. It was held that such cases to dermine whether there was forgery or fraud have to be decided by another forum and not the Info commission. The dept has furnished correctly whatever info was available with them.

The employee also cannot be called a III party under the RTI Act.

For full details refer to the web site http://egov.goa.nic.in/rtipublic/sic.aspx