To the chief Information Commissioner.

Please provide me with below information.

1. Does your state have a web portal supporting the spirit of Right to Information Act. Similar and at least providing the same functionality as https://RTIOnline.gov.in where

- Any Citizen of India can go online and file RTI appeal to Information Commission or any of the administrative unit's SPIOs electronically and get an RTI tracking ticket similar to RTIOnline.gov.in.

- Pay the prescribed fee online using Net Banking, Credit Cards.

- Track the status online and get the response on the online portal electronically.

- File First and Second appeal in case RTI response is not satisfactory electronically using the same portal.

2. If answer to query #1 is Yes for all the points, please provide the web portal name.

3. If Answer to all or any of the Query #1 is No.

            a.) Please provide details on why even after 10 years of RTI Act in place and after multiple years  of RTIOnline.gov.in online and working as a benchmark developed by NIC for central government ministries (NIC or similar agencies manages all your state web portals as well)  your state is not able to provide this service.

                b.) If you have already planned for a similar or better service than RTIOnline.gov.in to serve RTI  needs for your state please provide the expected time frame when Citizens of India can  start using it.

The Above RTI is for public purpose.

Response 

We got the response as below in approx. 4 weeks (A Hindi response, converted in English below for ease of understanding):

" Please take note:

Your RTI is not accompanied by the fees of Rs. 10. Also, it has a questioning tone, which makes it impossible to resolve. You can again pay the prescribed fees of Rs. 10  and file a fresh RTI application. "

Our observations on the RTI response are:

1. The RTI was out-rightly rejected. The RTI guidelines specifically state that after communicating the response to the Applicant  'the PIO has to wait for a reasonable time' before closing the RTI. We might have missed out on paying the RTI Fee, but we were not even given time to correct our mistake, rather advised to 'file a new RTI application' . This means duplicate efforts, not to mention more wastage of time, money and paperwork .

All of this wastage and inefficiencies would have been avoided if the RTI application facility for Madhya Pradesh was available online.

2.  We had raised this RTI to all the state PIO's . This was done for an issue about which  we feel deeply , as it is related to the greater public good. We believe citizen's intervention in the right direction could save huge Public costs and make the RTI process very easy and transparent. Hence, we felt obliged to put up a detailed application with specific questions. 

We never intended to accuse/defame or undermine the authority of state PIO's , rather have a healthy communication with them  and understand the roadblocks related to the subject of our application . We have had mixed responses from different state PIO's , but no one else deemed our application "Impossible to resolve, because of  the questioning tone of your application"

We think that someone like the State PIO, who deals with multitudes of people everyday - could have been more professional in their handling of this application and not gotten aggrieved on the supposedly  'questioning tone' our application assumed. After all - Public information officers are appointed precisely for this reason - To answer citizen's RTI applications, questioning or not.

We spent multiple days  getting postal orders, physically mailing the RTI and it was rejected, just like that. Is it as per the spirit of RTI? 

Any one reading the RTI request can see this was supposed to be treated with some sympathy or compassion and had good motives.

Reasons we are working towards fixing this issue:- 

The details are in this thread. but briefly.

- A manual effort is a big barrier for a common man to seek information on any in-efficiency, corruption, violation in his/her community.

- Apart from being a barrier, it in-efficient wasting a lot of time of information giving agency and seeker.

- There are plenty of loopholes which can be used to suppress, deflect or deny the information.

-Its error prone and any redress, since tedious is pushing citizens in a state of defeated apathy.

-Digitizing the effort will not only make the process seamless but open opportunities to improve the process and streamline the feedback loop.

- Will minimize misuse from the information giver and seeker.

- Save taxpayers some scarce money.

- An informed citizen would be less prone to propaganda machinery and an active collaboration will bring down cost to development.

Our Aim -

Is to bring efficiency, accountability and transparency in the state RTI system by  having all the states on board rti.gov.in or a similar platform working with efficiency similar to existing service by central government.

Status -

The research on the status of RTI for Madhya Pradesh is complete and till the date (September 2016) there is no online, consistent facility to file an Right to Information to the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Future course of action -

To carry this effort forward we are looking for coordinators in Madhya Pradesh , who can work towards a transparent state of Madhya Pradesh with our team.

Who can be a coordinator -

 Any one with a zeal to improve communities using a non confrontational approach, ready to collaborate with multiple entities and is systematic and patient. A working professional, An activist, A politician, researcher, a housewife, a student. All he/she needs is an inclination for scientific ways, curious, respect and honor, and of course a few hours a week.

Are Coordinators Funded for their efforts?

Yes. BallotboxIndia is about bringing back the culture of detailed deliberations and research. We follow a tedious systematic approach and are actions and output based. To sustain such efforts the time and efforts spent has to be valued and incentivized.

I can't add value for this particular effort but been active for common good or want to work for better communities ?

Send in your details to innovators@ballotboxindia.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks 

Team @BallotboxIndia