Delhi HC Tells Centre to Set Up Framework for Mode-Specific RTI Information Delivery
“We are of the opinion that an adequate framework may be put in place to make the information seeker realise the true purport of the rights under the RTI Act,” the HC said;
The Delhi High Court has recently directed the Central Government to formulate rules within three months to ensure that applicants under the Right to Information (RTI) Act can receive information in the format they request, particularly through email or pen drive.
A bench led by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya noted at the outset that while the RTI Act already permits electronic delivery of information under Sections 2(j), 4(4), and 7(9), the existing rules lack a proper framework for effective implementation.
To bridge this gap, the bench also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela directed the Centre to frame appropriate rules that would allow information to be provided in the requested mode, subject to reasonable safeguards.
“We are of the opinion that an adequate framework may be put in place to make the information seeker realise the true purport of the rights under the RTI Act,” the High Court added.
Court made these observations while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Aditya Chauhan and another co-petitioner, who raised concerns about RTI procedures continuing to refer to outdated formats like diskettes and floppy disks.
The plea highlighted that Public Information Officers (PIOs) routinely refuse to provide information in modern digital formats such as email or pen drives, despite the Act permitting it.
The petitioners also sought the modernisation of payment mechanisms such as UPI and net banking to make the RTI process more accessible and user-friendly.