Need for Right to Acknowledgement Act
Most citizens would have experienced that government offices now do not give
any acknowledgement for any letter or document submitted to them. This practice
was to my knowledge started by Govt Of India ministries and departments many
years ago. Although these ministeries/departments have Reception Counters and
even Customer Service Cells but if one tries to give any letter or document to
them and requests them to acknowledge it, they just refuse to do so and direct
him to drop them in the Drop Box placed near their counter. This practice has
thereafter spread in subordinate offices too and even in banks where
acknowledgement receipt for cheques is not given any more and one is directed
to drop them in Drop Boxes. Fortunately, bank’s working is such that it does
not create any problem but in govt offices, it is usual to hear that your
letter/document was not received by them and hence no action could be taken on
it. My last experience in this matter
was with the Employees Provident Fund Organization. Their Regional Offices,
which deal with EPF accounts of member companies, formerly acknowledged any
challans/returns/letters sent to them but stopped doing so for the last six
months and now also desire the same to be dropped in the Drop Boxes placed
near their enquiry desks. This has deteriorated their functioning altogether
leading to abnormal delays in settlement of subscriber accounts and issue of
annual EPF account slips of member establishments. The long queues of EPF
members awaiting settlement of their claims, found in EPF offices on any day,
and non issue of EPF members’ annual account slips for many years at a
stretch is enough proof of their inefficiency.
Although, in my opinion, it is anybody’s normal right to demand acknowledgement
for any letter/document given to anybody else, but in view of government
employees refusal to give acknowledgement for any letters/documents given to
them, it may be desirable if the govt is now pressed to also issue an act, say
the Right to Acknowledgement Act, to make them more responsible towards
letters/documents given to them. This act may also have the provision that all
letters addressed to govt employees must be replied to by them, if for no other
reason, at least to reduce no of RTI applications filed to know about the
action taken thereon.
mksinghal
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