PIL seeking to give guidelines for disabled Persons to Exercise RTI

On Thursday the Supreme Court gave its order on in relation of a Public Interest Litigation Aseer Jamal v. Union of India, which was concerned with the problem of visually impaired, the orthopedically handicapped and those unable to write or communicate in Hindi. The bench consisting of ex-chief justice Dipak Misra, Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice AM Khanwilkar stated that guidelines should be issued so that in pursuance of those guidelines the states can amend the current RTI rules to secure the right of the visually impaired, the handicapped and those unable to write or communicate in Hindi.

Attorney General KK Venugopal stated that “The online mode is better than the offline mode…it helps in preventing the misuse of public money ex-chief all states do not allow an online mode and asked the judges to give rules for the same.

He also stated that “The states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Punjab have set the online mode”

Attorney General KK Venugopal also stated to the bench that, The RTI Act also gives that the central and state Public Information Officer should provide for all the necessary assistance so that the request which is made orally, when the person cannot make it in writing can be reduced in writing.

“Several states have a provision of Braille, even audio files and help desk” he stated.

The Attorney General also stated that there is an exemption in relation to the payment of application fee and fee for providing information and accepting fees in cash, DD, banker’s cheque and even electronic means such as the RuPay card for the induvial under the poverty line. The AG said that this situation is in the centre and these rules may not be the in the states. The Chief Justice assured the counsel for the petitioner.

RTI is a right of every citizen of India to know what is going on in the governance. ex-chief educated and a well aware citizen is more informed of his rights as a result of which he can make government more responsible and answerable to its citizens  The Act is a big step towards making the citizens informed about the activities of the Government and this right should be provided to all the citizen irrespective physical disadvantage.