The Gujarat government has made some important changes to the Right to Information (RTI) rules. From now on, all state departments must give up to five pages of information for free.
These changes were made after the Gujarat Information Commission shared suggestions in its Annual Report for 2023–24, which was presented in the Legislative Assembly.
Here are the main changes:
- First 5 pages free: People asking for information under RTI will get up to five pages without any charge.
- Online requests: If the request is made by email or online, the information can be photographed and sent electronically. There is no need to send physical copies.
- Inspection of records: If someone is called to inspect records, they can take photos of the allowed information and copy it to a pen drive. Again, no physical copies will be needed.
- Appeals: When someone files a first appeal, officials must give a proper written explanation (called a “Speaking Order”), and the Public Information Officer must follow it.
- More public info online: All departments must regularly update their websites with commonly asked information to reduce the number of RTI applications.
- Construction-related info: Information about actions taken on illegal constructions, and details about permits, licenses, and approvals must be published online.
- Application tracking: Applicants should get SMS or email updates about the progress of their RTI applications at every stage.
These steps are meant to make the RTI process easier, more transparent, and more accessible for everyone.