People seeking information under RTI Act may now be able to use postal stamps as application fee if a recommendation of the Central Information Commission is accepted by the Centre.
Two Information Commissioners in two separate cases-- R K Jain and Raghubir Singh-- have made a common recommendation to the Department of Personnel and Training for implementing postal stamps as a mode of payment of RTI fee thus reducing hassles of applicants.
RTI users now have to pay a fee of Rs 10 either in cash, bank demand draft or Indian Postal Order to get information.
Some authorities like Army and Indian air force refuse to accept applications drawn in favour of Accounts Officer despite clear directives of the Department of Personnel and Training causing hassles to applicants.
"The appellant has submitted that the postal department's recommendation for use of ordinary postal stamps for payment of RTI fee is both practical and user friendly. The Commission finds merit in the appellant's submissions and would urge the DoPT to consider this at the earliest.
"In this connection it is noted that the government of Tamil Nadu has already allowed payment of RTI fee by affixing court fee stamps, Information Commissioner Basant Seth said in the matter of activist R K Jain.
Agreeing with Seth, Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu also issued an exhaustive order on the issue recommending to DoPT to avail the opportunity of giving New Year Gift to the citizens by permitting and publicising the use of ordinary postal stamps for the payment of RTI fee.
"Accepting postal stamps for RTI fee would resolve many difficulties in payment, besides preventing wastage of public money in returning or rejecting the IPOs or spending much larger amounts than Rs 10, for realising Rs 10, and avoidable litigation," he said.
