Tuesday, February 04, 2014

IMPROVING WORKING OF CIC - SUGGESTIONS

Date: 03-02-2014                                                      By email & post

To,
Director – RTI
Department of Personnel and Training,
Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions,
Govt of India, New Delhi
Email: dirrti-dopt@nic.in

Dear Sir,

Subject: Improving RTI implementation by Central Information Commission [CIC]

I find that now thankfully Govt of India is becoming more and more citizen centric especially after Shri Rahul Gandhi quoting RTI as an important and game-changing gift to Indian citizens, for which UPA really deserves credit. I humbly make few suggestions so that you can empathize with ground realities and problems of common citizens connected to CIC:

1. Non-compliance of CIC orders: I have been informed vide CIC letter No. CIC/CPIO/2013/JS[PP]/24 dated 13-01-2014 that no priority is given by CIC to complaints of non-compliance of its own orders. Thus such complaints are lined up as normal complaints to be heard with a time frame of 12 to 36 months. Initially appeals or complaints are heard with a delay of 12 to 36 months and in case of first non-compliance or defective compliance by CPIO/FAA, additional 12 to 36 months are wasted. In case of non-compliance despite second time approaching CIC, then again it may take 12 to 36 months time. Thus there could be minimum 24 to 72 months delay which can extend to 36 to 108 months. This totally punctures soul of RTI. I had approached previous Chief Information Commissioner per my letter dated 09-08-2013 but naturally with no action.

I humbly suggest that complaints of non-compliance or defective compliance of IC orders should be given priority by CIC and queued up separately over normal complaints or appeals in each registry. Gujarat Information Commission has recently started taking up such complaints within 3-4 months of receipt of complaint of non-compliance.

2. Penalty for non-compliance of CIC orders: ICs normally do not impose penalty and recommend disciplinary action even in cases of non-compliance of its orders. This has evaporated credibility of CIC orders. In some cases I have found that ICs nearly beg for compliance despite repeated flouting of its orders, rather than pulling up CPIO/FAA for harassing common information seeker. Such     non-compliance is also not reported to head of public authority of CPIO/FAA by CIC. CIC has no data base of non-compliance complaints.

My humble suggestion would be that ICs should take such non-compliance seriously and at least penalty be imposed without exception, if RTI is not to fade away like all other pro-citizen enactments.

3. E-filing of appeal and complaint to CIC: After e-filing appeal or complaint to CIC on http://rti.india.gov.in/, CIC insists that signed print out of appeal or complaint should also be mailed to CIC. My experience with CIC on the issue of “signed copy awaited” reason for withholding registration of appeal/complaint is horrible.  I have totally stopped e-filing nor do I advise others as RTI activist. Even after sending signed copy of appeal or complaint 3-4 times by registered and courier post, appeals / complaints are not registered. CIC may study few cases as a test check to know harassment, irritation and expenses being incurred by appellant or complainant for just getting appeal or complaint registered after e-filing on http://rti.india.gov.in/. A simple question is “why one should e-file if he has to repeatedly mail signed print out to CIC by registered post?” Thus e-filing has been rendered useless, as happens with all pro-citizen systems mandated by political masters. CIC has no data of e-filed appeals/complaints pending registration for want of signed hard copy.

I humbly suggest that CIC should mandate submitting signed and scanned copies of all papers in pdf format while e-filing at http://rti.india.gov.in/ as attachments for authentication. This will totally cure “signed copy awaited” disease of CIC.


4. Recovery of Penalties: As per letter No. CIC/CPIO/2013/JS[PP]/24 dated     13-01-2014 in reply to my RTI dated 30-11-2013, I find that out of Rs.1.79 crores of penalties imposed till 16-12-2013 only Rs.1.09 crores are recovered. Thus penalty amounting to Rs.70.00 lakhs [39.10%] is un-recovered. My RTI has also revealed that CIC has no prescribed procedure or strategy or responsible officer for recovery of penalties or meaningful data, except sending routine polite reminder to head of public authority, once in a while.

I suggest that copy of IC order for penalty should also be mailed to salary disbursing officer of CPIO or head of public authority for recovery from salary of CPIO, or else this officer should be held accountable, if he fails to recover.

5. Audio Hearing: I suggest that CIC should hear appellant/complainant on mobile [if he so chooses] when he is not in a position to attend video-hearing which are mostly scheduled at district head quarters. Haryana SIC does reach-out by mobile to appellant/complainant during hearing. Please refer decision dated 06-01-2014 in appeal No. 4553 of 2013 of said SIC.

6. Attending emails by CIC: Vide CIC letter No. CIC/CPIO/2013/2007 dated     23-01-2014 in reply to my RTI application dated 13-12-2013, I have been informed as under:

“……It is further clarified that the Commission receives about 1 lakh daks during a year. That being the case, it has been unanimously decided that not to take cognizance of emails. Although, we do have online filing system which you can see after going to our website at cic.gov.in”

I have my own reservations if communications sent by ordinary post would also be not being attended by CIC. CIC may only be attending letters sent by registered or speed post. This fact is serious as far as working of CIC is concerned when Govt of India is giving top priority for use of technology for good governance and emails are the most convenient and easy way to communicate. System mentioned in above reply is relating to e-filing of appeal or complaints and it is discussed in para 3 supra. This may be against DARPG guidelines on email management. I may add that use of emails saves environment also as every 3000 sheets of paper cost a tree.

I am sure you will take necessary action to solve above problems being faced by aam aadmi while dealing with CIC.

Yours faithfully,
J P Shah
Encl: 1

Copies to:
Mrs. Sushma Singh
Chief Information Commissioner,
Central Information Commission,
August Kranti Bhavan, Bhikaji Cama Place,
New Delhi - 110 066
Email: sushmas@nic.in

2. Shri Rahul Gandhi
Vice President, Indian National Congress,
New Delhi
Email: rahulgandhi@hotmail.com

--this is ground reality of your flag-ship enactment.