CIC recommends government to allow use of ordinary postal stamp as RTI fee instrument

Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended Central government to allow people seeking information under RTI Act to use postal stamps as application fee.
Two Information Commissioners – R K Jain and Raghubir Singh in two separate cases have made a common recommendation to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for implementing postal stamps as a mode of payment of RTI fee thus reducing hassles of applicants.
At present, RTI users now have to pay a fee of Rs 10 either in cash, bank demand draft or Indian Postal Order to get information.  By accepting postal stamps for RTI fee recommendation, it may help government to resolve many difficulties in payment.
Besides it may also help in 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.  Tamil Nadu government already has this provision and allowed payment of RTI fee by affixing court fee stamps.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2014