Supreme Court Directs All High Courts To File Responses To Plea Seeking Online RTI Portals Within Three Weeks

The Supreme Court on Monday directed all High Courts to file their responses on the proposed set up of online RTI Portals within three weeks. The issue arose before a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha when a counsel informed the bench that only nine High Court had filed their replies in the plea seeking mechanism to set up an online portal for e-filing Right to Information (RTI) applications and first appeals in High Courts.

The plea in question has been filed by NGO, Pravasi Legal Cell. As per the petition the lack of online filing facilities of RTI applications causes many issues including NRIs having to file physically the applications for any information they required from governments. As per the petition–

"Right to Information Act provides a legal mechanism to enforce and implement the citizen's right to information guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) and Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The present system of submitting RTI applications andthe corresponding reply from the concerned information officer in physical form take more time which in turn reduces the efficiency of the entire RTI mechanism thus defeating the very purpose of the legislation."

Upon hearing that most High Courts had not yet launched the RTI Portals, CJI Chandrachud remarked–

"The High Courts which have not filed their response on the proposed setting up of the online RTI portals shall do so positively within a period of 3 weeks. We'll keep it on the reopening."

The matter will now be heard post vacations.

Recently, the Supreme Court launched its online portal for filing RTI applications in relation to the Court.

CASE TITLE: Pravasi Legal Cell v. UoI And Ors. WP(C) No. 1040/2019 

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