Right To Information Act

In case the applicant is unable to submit the request in writing, the Public Information Officer shall provide all reasonable assistance to help the applicant convert the oral request into a written one. 
Persons below the poverty line (BPL) are exempted from remitting the application fee. However, the BPL certificate in this connection obtained from the Block Development Officer, if the applicants are residing in rural areas coming under a gram panchayat, and from the Secretary of the Municipal Corporation or Municipal Council for applicants residing in a city or town coming under a City Corporation or Municipal Council limits. An applicant is not required to provide any reason for requesting the information or provide personal details beyond what is needed for contact purposes.


Time limit for Information

In normal course, information to an applicant should be provided as expeditiously as possible but within 30 days from the receipt of application with the prescribed fee.Where the information sought concerns the life or liberty of a person, the same shall be given within 48 hours of the receipt of the request. An application can be rejected for reasons specified under Sections 8 & 9 of the RTI Act.
If the decision on the request for information is not given within the prescribed time limit, the request shall be deemed to have been rejected. Where a decision is taken to provide the information on payment of cost for providing the information, the Public Information Officer has to intimate the applicant by giving details of the amount and the calculation made to arrive at the amount, requesting the applicant to deposit the fees.  The period intervening between the dispatch of the above
intimation and payment of fees shall be excluded for the purpose of the maximum period in determining the time limit for providing the information.


Fee for Providing Information under the RTI Act

1. Rupees three for each page on ‘A4’ size paper.
2. Actual charge or cost for producing a copy on larger-size paper.
3. Actual cost or price for producing samples, models, maps, plans etc.
4. For inspection of records, there will be no fee for the initial first hour. Rs. 10 for every additional 30 minutes or fraction thereof. 
5. In the case of public authorities other than the Government Departments, the fee for inspection shall be paid into the account of such public authority as outlined in clauses (c) and (d) of rule 3 of the Kerala Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost Rules), Act 2006.
6. No fee shall be charged for up to twenty pages of A4 sized documents for applicants from the BPL group.
7. Applicants from the BPL category are exempted from payment of the application fee and also the fee for providing the information. The Government of Kerala has designated the Block Development Officers as the competent authority to issue the BPL eligibility certificate to those below the poverty line in rural areas and, the Secretary of the City Corporation or Municipal Council to issue the BPL eligibility certificates for those residing in the Cities and Municipal town limits of the State.

Information is provided free of charges if the time limit is overrun:
The information shall be provided free of cost where a Public Authority fails to comply with the prescribed time limit..

Rejection of  a request
If an application is rejected, the Public Information Officer concerned shall inform the applicant the following:

1. The reason for such rejection
2. Period within which the appeal may be preferred; and
3. The particulars of the Appellate Authority

Exempted Organizations
By virtue of the powers vested under section 24 of the RTI Act, the Government of Kerala has exempted the following organizations from the purview of the Act.

 

1. The Special Branch CID
2. The Crime Branch CID
3. The District Special Branches of all Districts/Cities.
4. The District and Crime Record Bureau
5. The Police Telecommunication Unit
6. Confidential Branch in the Police Headquarters, Kerala and Confidential sections in all Police Offices in Kerala.
7. State and Regional Forensic Science Laboratories.
8. State and District Finger Print Bureau.

However, the organisations mentioned above are not exempt from disclosing information related to applications under the RTI Act pertaining to corruption and human rights violations. For applications on information concerning allegations on human rights violations, the information will be provided only after obtaining approval from the State Information Commission but should be provided within 45 days of receiving the application.