Kohima, Dimapur and Peren districts lead in RTI filings

October 9, 2024 11 Views No Comment

• Not a tool for ransoming
• Disseminating info a duty

Morung Express News
Jalukie | October 9

Kohima, Dimapur and Peren lead in Right to Information (RTI) filings. According to the Nagaland Information Commission (NIC), Kohima recorded a total of 239 number of RTI applications, followed by 134 from Dimapur and 106 from Peren in 2023-24. In contrast, not a single RTI application was filed in Noklak and Nuiland districts during the same period.

The Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of the state, I Meyionen Jamir made the disclosure, on October 8, in Jalukie where the NIC marked the RTI week, observed nationwide from October 5-12, annually.

“The reason why Peren district was chosen to be the place to observe the RTI Week, 2024 is that, it is the district where many tribes reside, especially in Jalukie town,” he said, while stating that the district has tremendous potential for socio-economic progress which requires a populace, who are aware their rights and entitlements. On this note, he appealed to the district heads of the various government departments to be more responsible and transparent.

He cited the 2023 incident, widely reported in the media, in which one RTI applicant was forced to apologise and withdraw his application by the “Village Council Chairman Union.” He added that any individual, union, including village councils, can be charged under law for preventing citizens from exercising their fundamental rights.

With regard to the RTI Act becoming a tool for ransoming government officials, on the pretext of seeking information, he said that officials can take legal recourse by filing police complaints. While Peren has a relatively high RTI filing rate, he said that the people must also refrain from misusing the RTI Act.

Conversely, he said that the public authorities “owe a duty to disseminate information widely suo motu… to bring about an accountable system.”

As far as accountability was concerned, a student audience member asked, “How has the RTI Act contributed to reducing corruption?” He replied that the RTI has positively impacted governance in Nagaland. “Officials have become more alert and conscious of their roles and responsibility. Their recordkeeping has improved and has become more conscious of their answerability,” he claimed.

The CIC also noted a rise in RTI applications in 2023-24, with a total of 2472 applications filed, up from 2104 the previous year. Public authorities or Departments responded to 87.9 percent (2173 in absolute figures) of the applications. Directorates received the most applications, followed by district offices and the Secretariat. (Refer diagrams for supplementary information)

He said that the Motor Vehicle Department typically receives the most RTI applications. Other departments with high numbers include— Rural Development and its district branches, Health and Family Welfare, and PWD (Road & Bridges). At 4526, 2015-16 remains the year with the highest number of applications received. The year (March 2006) the NIC was established, the state recorded 480 applications.

The NIC is said to be functioning with 26 employees, including 5 ‘fixed pay’ staff.

Later taking media queries, he said that the Act has no provision empowering the Information Commission to penalise or prosecute people, who misuse the Act. He added that instances of government officials filing police complaints against unscrupulous RTI applicants has been “very rare” without putting a number to it.

According to him, citizens with genuine reasons come with specific queries as opposed to those with ulterior motive. He said that the ones with ulterior motive put up “general questions” and even requesting information dating back to decades. “It amounts to harassment of the officials and draining of (government) resources,” he said.

He denied the NIC coming across instances of RTI applicants and government officials arriving at a “compromise.” He said, “If there is a compromise taking place in the level of the PIO, we are not aware of that.”