Govt proposes new RTI rules

As per the draft rules for the proposed amendments in the RTI rules put out by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the nodal body for implementing the Act in the country, each application will be limited to 250 words, excluding the address of the public authority and applicant. It will also be limited to only one subject matter.

Now, there is no such word limit and applicants can seek information about any number of subjects in a single application. The government also plans to make changes in the fee for providing information.

Now, the applicant has to pay just Rs 10 along with application. However, the draft rules say that applicants have to pay the actual amount spent by a government department in hiring a machine or equipment to supply information. It also says that postal charges, in excess of Rs 10, spent in supplying information will also be recovered from the applicant.
The rules will be a modification of the present RTI (regulation of fee and cost) Rules, 2005, and the Central Information Commission (appeal procedure) Rules, 2005.

The DoPT has sought comments on these changes from the public on email id: [e-mail] by December 27, 2010.