Nidhi, I posted the message. Here is the complete text from Karnataka-wallahs.
Rakesh (NyayaBhoomi) =============================== Karnataka Government amended Karnataka Right to Information Rules, 2005 and issued notification which imposes certain restrictions on citizens seeking information. Beaurocrats in Karnataka are relentlessly trying to scuttle the implementation of RTI Act and systematically working in blocking citizens from seeking information. The present amendment is one such attempt to kill RTI Act in the State. No objections were invited from the citizens before making amendement to the Act. This is the only amendment enacted by the State Government eversince imposition of president's rule in Karnataka. The present amendement will result in filing more number of applications for getting specific information from the Public Authorities. As already experienced this will ultimately result in filing more number of complaints before the Karnatka Informtion Commission and consequently more waiting period. It has become a practice that unless complaints are filed before the Information Commissin and notices are received, no PIO in the STate is furnishing the information to the applicants. As of now it takes a minimum 6 to 7 months to get any information from any of the public authority in Karnataka. Soft stand taken by the Commissioners in letting out the errant PIOs has complicated the issue further. We are planning to arrange for a protest meeting/rally and hunger strike against the unilateral stand taken by the Karnataka State in amending the Rules which is aimed only at protecting the Public Informaton Officers. Please we solicit your opinion on the amendment carried out by the State Government. COPY OF THE NOTIFICATION ISSUED BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS REPRODUCED BELOW: GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA NO.DPAR;14:RTI:2008 Karnataka Government Secretariat DPAR (Janaspandana Cell) 3rd Floor. Podium Block, V V Towers BANGALORE DT.17.3.2008. NOTIFICATION In exercise of the Powers conferred by Sub-Section (1) and (2) of Section 27 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Central Act 22 of 2005), The Government of Karnataka hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Karnataka Right to Information Rules, 2005, namely: Title and Commencement: (1) These rules may be called the Karnataka Right to Information (Amendment) Rules, 2008. (2) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in Official Gazette. Insertion of new rule 14: In the Karnataka Right to Information Rules, 2005, after rule 13, the following shall be inserted, namely: "14. Request relate only to single subject matter: A request in writing for information under section 6 of the Act shall relate to one subject matter and it shall not ordinarily exceed one hundred and fifty words. If an applicant wishes to seek information on more than one subject matter, he shall make separate applications; Provided that in case, the request made relates to more than one subject matter, the Public Information Officer may respond to the request relating to the first subject matter only and may advise the applicant to make separate application for each of the other subject matters." By Order and in the name of the President of India Sd/- ( B. SHIVARUDRA SWAMY) Under Secretary to Government, I/C DPAR (JANASPANDANA CELL -RTI) B.H. VEERESHA MAHITHI HAKKU ADHYAYANA KENDRA 54, 17TH CROSS, M C LAYOUT VIJAYANAGAR, BANGALORE 560 040 TEL.NO. 9448704693 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
