Reversal Sought in RTI Amendments

Patna: December 7, 2009

Dozens of people in Patna on Monday, under the banner of Right to Information Campaign, sat on a daylong dharna to protest the recent amendments in the RTI Act made by the Nitish administration.

Expressing anger over the government's decision to charge a fee for the information, the protestors said such act was undemocratic and was against the true spirit of the Act.

Before the recent amendments, a petitioner could seek information on many issues on a single request but the new rules force the information-seekers to file separate requests for separate documents with a price tag of Rs. 10 each.

Officials, however, cite growing abuse of the RTI Act leading to increased fee in the service.