RTI

The Government of India has enacted “Right to Information Act 2005” to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of Public Authorities in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of any public authority. The Right to Information Act, 2005 received the President’s assent on 15th June 2005 and was notified in Official Gazette on 21st June 2005. It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu & Kashmir.

The expression “Public Authority” means :-

Any authority or Body or Institution of self-government established or constituted:

(a) by or under constitution,
(b) by any other Law made by Parliament,
(c) by any other Law made by State Legislature,
(d) by Notification issued or Order made by the appropriate Government, etc.

The right to information includes an access to the information which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to inspect the work, document, records, taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents / records and certified samples of the materials and obtaining information which is also stored in electronic form.

The Act provides under sections 8 & 9, certain categories of information that are exempt from disclosure to the citizens.Any person desirous of obtaining information is advised to refer to the relative sections of the Act before submitting a request for information.

Any citizen can request for information by making an application in writing or through electronic means in English/official language of the areas, in which the application is being made together with the prescribed fees. 

Any public authority would designate Asst. Public Information Officer (APIO) at various levels, who will receive the requests for information from the public and necessary number of Public Information Officers (PIO) in all administrative units / office who will arrange for providing necessary information to the public as permitted under the law. The public authorities are also required to designate authority (ies) senior in rank to PIO, as Appellate Authorities, who will entertain and dispose off appeals against the decision of the PIO as required under the Act. Any person who does not receive the decision from PIO wither by way of information or rejection within the time frame, may within 30 days from the expiry of period prescribed for furnishing the information or 30 days from the date of receipt of the decisions, prefer an appeal to the Appellate Authority.

The public can submit their request / application for information to the nearest APIO’s Office. The APIO will receive the application / request for information or the appeals under the Act and forward the same immediately to the PIO or the Appellate Authority as the case may be.

The PIO is required to process the request for providing the information and dispose of the same; either by providing the information or rejecting the request, within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of request.

The Appelllate Authority will entertain and dispose off appeals against the decision of the PIO as required under the Act.

The format of application for Information under Right to Information act – 2005 is as per the Extraordinary Kerala Gazette notification No.11259/Cdn.5/2006/GAD dated 9/5/2006 of General Administration (Co-ordination) department, Government of Kerala. Apply in writing or through electronic means in Malayalam or English to the Public Information Officer of the Company. Application fee may be remitted as required.

Sub-rule (a) (i) of Rule 2 of the Kerala Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost Rules), 2006 issued under GO (P) No. 540/2007/GAD dated 18.12.2007 and published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2290 dated 27.12.2007 is amendment vide Extraordinary Gazette No. 1131 dated 03.06.2008, as follows:

“provided that in the case of public authorities other than the Government Departments, the fee shall be remitted to the account of such public authority as provided in clauses (c) and (d) ”.

Clauses (c) & (d) are specified as follows:

Clause (c) by cash remittance against proper receipt in the Office of the Public Information Officer/Assistant Public Information Officer as the case may be,

or

Clause (d) by Demand Draft/bankers cheque/pay order payable to the Public Information Officer/ Assistant Public Information Officer.

In view of the above Government Order, it is hereby informed that applications under Right to Information Act will only be accepted with application fee as per clause (c) and (d) of Rule (3) of the Right to Information (Fee and Cost Rules) 2006

Bank Account Details

Account Name : Kerala Livestock Development Board

Account Number: 57009288509

IFSC: SBIN0070212