Don't Amend the RTI Fee Rules in Bihar

Dear Sri Nitish Kumar

We, the undersigned are concerned with the amendments in RTI Fee Rules by the Cabinet of Bihar on 17th November 2009. According to the official press release regarding the meeting, only single information would be given to the applicant for every application. The applicant will also have to attach a stamped envelope with his name and address duly written. Moreover, the BPL people have also been restricted to receive only ten pages of information without cost.
These amendments are totally illegal. This is against the letter and spirit of RTI Act 2005. It will only discourage the citizen seeking information. The Act has given the authority for making such rules to the appropriate governments. But that should be in accordance with the RTI Act. No rule can be made against the provisions in the Act. Section 7(5) of RTI law says- "The fee..shall be reasonable and no such fee shall be charged from the persons who are of below poverty line.."
The Act does not have any limitations over the number of pages of information. In this way, the rule to restrict the number of free of cost pages is also completely illegal.
Similarly, rule regarding giving only single information for one application is also illegal. The information is very vivid and elaborately defined in the Act. There is no restriction of sticking to a single point or information. Thus, no government is entitled to restrict or narrow the definition of information. The bureaucrats would deliberately redefine and misuse the amendment and would harass the applicants. Unfortunately, maximum number of complaints regarding humiliating the information seekers had been registered from Bihar itself.
Therefore, we the undersigned are request you to withdraw such illegal amendment and to insure proper implementation of RTI to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority in your state.