Information commissioner urges prompt RTI query responses

Madurai: Tamil Nadu state information commissioner M Selvaraj led an awareness meeting for public information officers (PIOs) in Madurai on Saturday, focusing on the Right to Information (RTI) Act and addressing complaints from petitioners.Selvaraj highlighted that many petitioners reported inadequate or delayed responses from PIOs. He emphasized that "speed and transparency are key under the RTI Act," reminding officers to respond to RTI queries within 30 days. "Petitioners dissatisfied with responses may file appeals, which must also be addressed within 30 days. If a response is not provided, petitioners can approach the state information commission directly," he added.The commissioner further instructed that if an RTI query does not fall within a department's purview, the PIO must forward it to the relevant department within five days and notify the petitioner. In such cases, responses should be given within 35 days. He also advised all offices to display PIO names and contact details prominently.Selvaraj also encouraged petitioners to use the online RTI filing system for quicker submission and response times.
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