RENDERING ASSISTANCE TO APPLICANTS, AND PROTECTION FOR WORK DONE IN GOOD FAITH UNDER SECTION 21 OF THE RTI ACT 2005 IS FOUND NECESSARY

The decisions of the orders of the Commission are binding. The public authorities should ensure that the orders passed by the Commission are implemented. If any public authority or a public information officer is of the view that an order of the Commission is not in consonance with the provision of the Act, it may approach the High Court by way of a Writ petition. The RTI Act provides that the public information officer has a duty to render reasonable assistance to the persons seeking information. As per provisions of the Act, a person who desires to obtain any information is required to make a request in writing or through electronic means in English or Hindi or in the official language of the area in which the application is made. If a person seeking information is not able to make such request in writing, the public information officer should render reasonable assistance to him to reduce the same in writing. Further more, where access to a record is required to be provided to a sensorily disabled person, the public information officer should provide assistance to such person to enable him to access the information. He should also provide such assistance to the person as may be appropriate for the inspection of records, where such inspection is involved. Section 21 of the Act, provides that no suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any person for any thing which is in good faith done or intended to be done under the Act or any rule made thereunder. A public information officer should, however, note that it would be his responsibility to prove that his action was in good faith.