Amendments to Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2005:
It is strange but true that Govt. of Maharashtra published in Gazette two notifications related to RTI dated 16-1-2012 and 31-1-2012 amending Maharashtra Right to Information Rules. The Govt. never informed citizens about it. It was only by chance, advocate Vinod Sampat saw that in March-end and communicated the same to all RTI activists.
All RTI activists are very much agitated. PCGT arranged a meeting with the Chief Minister (CM) where Mr. Julio Riberio, I and 7 other RTI activists invited by me met the CM on 10-4-2012. After 30 minutes dialogue, CM stated that he would look in to the matter. These notifications read as under:
The Maharashtra Right to Information (Amendment ) Rules , 2012, Dt. 16.1.2012
General Administration Department
Mantralaya, Mumbai 400032, dated the 16th January 2012
Notification
Maharashtra Right to Information Rules , 2005.
No. CRTI./2009/C.R.398/09/VI. – In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 27 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (22 of 2005), the Government of Maharashtra is hereby pleased to make the following rules further to amend the Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2005, as follows, namely:-
1. These rules may be called the Maharashtra Right to Information (Amendment) Rules, 2012.
2. After rule 3 of the Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2005, the following rule shall be inserted, namely:-
“3A. Request relate only to single subject matter:- A request in writing for information under section 6 of the Act shall relate to one subject matter and it shall not ordinarily exceed one hundred and fifty words. If an applicant wishes to seek information on more than one subject matter, he shall make separate applications.
Provided that, in case the request made relates to more than one subject matter, the Public Information Officer may respond to the request relating to the first subject matter only and may advice the applicant to make a separate application for each of the other subject matters.’’
By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra
Nandkumar Jantre
Secretary to Government
The Maharashtra Right to Information
(2nd Amendment ) Rules , 2012,
Dt. 13.1.2012
General Administration
Department
Mantralaya, Mumbai 400032, dated the 31st January 2012
Notification
Maharashtra Right to Information Rules , 2005.
No. CRTI. 2008/CR 356/VI. – In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section 27 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (22 of 2005), and of all other powers enabling in this behalf, the Government of Maharashtra is hereby pleased to make the following rules further to amend the Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2005, namely:-
(1) These rules may be called Maharastra Right to Information (2nd Amendment) Rule 2012
(2) After Rule 3A of the Maharastra Right to Information Rules, 2005, the following rules shall be added namely:
3B. Procedure for seeking inspection of records: If after having considered the application filed by the applicant for seeking inspection of record under the s.s (1) of section 6, the Public Information Officer find it appropriate, the applicant may be granted permission inspect of the record and if he grants such permission the Public Information Officer shall requisition the record desired by the applicant for perusal, from the concerned section of the Department and shall give the same to the applicant for inspection in his presence or in the presence of authorised representative, during the office hours. While inspecting such record, the applicant shall be allowed to use pencil only and the information desired by the applicant shall be noted by him by pencil only and if applicant bring any writing instruments other than pencil, he shall deposit the same with the Public Information Officer and thereafter, he shall be allowed to inspect the record. The applicant shall not make any marking on the record by the pencil he is allowed to use during inspection.
By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra
Nandkumar Jantre
Secretary to Government
CIC feels RTI is dying in Maharashtra
Shailesh Gandhi, India’s feisty Central Information Commissioner and an early crusader for the Right To Information Act, believes that the RTI Act in Maharashtra is being pushed into a coma from where it may not be able to recover.
According to one version, pendency of cases pending as on 31-12-2011 is 22,000.
As per the report in Times of India acting State Information Commissioner Bhaskar Patil has stated ‘At the end of the 2011, about 1.07 lakh appeals were pending disposal’.
