RTI Act should be saved by preventing it from misuse. RTI fees should be uniform for all states and competent authorities at rupees 50 that may include copying charges for first 20 copied pages for saving to both public-authorities and portioners on demanding and remitting copying charges, but eliminating non-serious RTI petitioners because of a negligible fee of just rupees ten. People in BPL category are already exempted from paying RTI fees. When government-fees for every public-service is increased manifold in last more than a decade, there is no sense in not revising RTI fees also that too by providing additional benefit of free 20 copied pages.
To prevent RTI applications being filed under fake names, ID proof should be compulsorily enclosed with RTI application in tune with para 23 of verdict dated 02.11.2012 in the matter-Fruit and Vegetable Union versus Unknown (CWP 4787 of 2011).
Repeated CIC-recommendations for issue of RTI stamps in denominations of rupees 2, 10 and 50 should be accepted to prevent heavy government-spending in handling postal-orders generally used to pay RTI fees.
Provision of auto e-mailing of RTI responses and orders of First Appellate Authority on applications filed on-line should be there apart from uploading on on-line portal.
Post-free RTI applications addressed to central public-authorities should be extended to all about 160000 post-offices rather than just about 4500 post offices presently. It is not difficult because every post-office however small it may be, daily sends post-bag to Head Post Office with registered post, cash and unsold revenue-articles. This post-bag can carry post-free RTI applications received at the post-office.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL