Payment of fee under the RTI Act by demand draft_bankers cheque_Indian Postal Order. Dated 5-12-2008 with PDF Images.

[RAKESH KUMAR GUPTA]

No.F.10/9/2008-IR

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, PG and Pension

Department of Personnel & Training

North Block, New Delhi Dated: the 5^th December, 2008

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Payment of fee under the RTI Act by demand draftlbankess cheque/Indian Postal Order.

The undersigned is directed to say that the Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005 provide that a person seeking information under the RTI Act, 2005 can make payment of fee for obtaining information by cash or demand draft or banker's cheque or Indian postal order. According to the rules the demand draftJbanker's cheque /IPO should be payable to the Accounts Officer of the concerned public authority. It was brought to the notice of this Department that some public authorities did not accept demand draftslbanker's chequesIIndian Postal Orders drawn in the name of their Accounts Officer and insisted that these should be drawn in the name of Drawing and Disbursing Officer or the Under Secretary or the Section Officer etc. This Department vide OM No.l/2/2007-IR dated 23^rd March, 2007 issued instructions that the demand drafts/banker's cheques/IPOs made payable to the Accounts Officers of the public authority should not be denied. Inspite of the provisions in the rules and instructions of this Departmen,, some public authorities still refuse to accept demand draftslbanker's cheques /IPOs drawn in the name of the Accounts Officer of the public authority.

2.                                      Refusal to accept an application on the ground that the demand draftlbanker's cheque/IPO submitted by the applicant has been drawn in the name of the Accounss Officer may amount to refusal to accept the application. It may result into imposition of penalty by the Central Informaiion Commission on the concerned Central Public Information Officer under Section 20 of the Act. All the public authorities should, therefore, ensure that payment of fee by demand draftlbanker's chequeIIPO made payable to the Accounts Officer of the public authority is not denied.

3.                                      Contents of this OM may be brought to the notice of all concerneflU^

(K.G-Verma)

Director

a                                                             Tel: 23092588

1.             All the Ministries / Departmenss of the Government of India

2.             Union Public Service Commission/ Lok Sabha Secttl/ Rajya Sabha Secretariat/ Cabinet Secretariat/ Central Vigilance Commsssion/ Presidens's Secretariat/

Vice-President's      Secretariat/     Prime     Minister's      Office/     Planning Commission/Election Commission.

3.  Central Information Commission/State Information Commsssions.

4.           Staff Selection Commission, CGO Complex, New Delhi

5.          0/0 the Comptroller&Auditor General of India, 10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi.

6.           All officerslDesks/Sections, DOP&T and Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare.

Copy to: Chief Secretaries of all the States/UTs.