A screenshot of the dedicated tab available on the official website of the Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench for filing online RTI. (Screenshot/Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 24
The Supreme Court, on September 23, sought responses from 11 states and union territories (UTs), including Nagaland, for allegedly failing to set up Right to Information (RTI) portals under the transparency law in compliance with its March 20, 2023 judgment.
In the judgment, the apex court directed high courts to establish RTI websites within three months from the date of its order. Regarding the district judiciary, which is under the administrative control of the high courts, the bench asked the registrar general to take administrative directions from the chief justice.
During the proceedings of a Contempt Petition (Civil) on Monday, the counsel for the petitioner submitted that as many as 11 states/UTs were yet to comply with the March 20 judgment and had not set up their RTI websites.
These 11 states/UTs were (i) Andhra Pradesh (ii) Jharkhand (iii) Manipur (iv) Nagaland (v) Sikkim (vi) West Bengal (vii) Andaman and Nicobar Islands (viii) Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
“Moreover, it has been submitted that in those States where RTI portals have been set up, the portals, do not meet the accessibility and usability standards under the Guidelines for Indian Government Websites and Apps 3.0,” stated the order issued by a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala.
Accordingly, the bench issued notices to the states and UTs, returnable on October 21.
It is unclear whether the issue pertains to high courts only or the district judiciary as well.
If it is the latter, it must be noted that the Gauhati High Court’s Kohima Bench has already set up its online RTI portal with the objective of maintaining transparency and efficiency.
It was formally launched by Justice Devashis Baruah of the Gauhati High Court on February 29, 2024, by symbolically filing the first online, paperless e-RTI application at the Kohima Bench through the dedicated web portal. This marked the first service of its kind in Nagaland.
A dedicated “RTI” tab is available on the official website of the Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench for the citizens to access the service.
