Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Right to Information Act, 2005

Right to Information Act, 2005
The Calicut University Information Monitoring Committee has been constituted in the University to enable the public to garner information as per the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005, which has, as it goal, imparting transparency and accountability in relation to all public bodies. The following, as detailed below, will be the procedure observed/ to be observed in the actual implementation of the information Act:




1.
The applicant must give his full postal address in the application for information. A chalan for Rs. 10/- remitted in the Calicut University Account or a demand draft drawn in favour of the Finance Officer payable at the Calicut University Branch of the State Bank of Travancore must be enclosed with each application.

2.
The Public Information Officer will receive applications as per Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, according to which “a person, who desires to obtain any information under this Act shall make a request in writing or through electronic means accompanying such fee as may be prescribed to the Public Information Officer, specifying the particulars of the information sought by him or her” ……….. and, “an applicant making request for information shall not be required to give any reason for requesting the information or any personal details except those that may be necessary for contacting him”.

3.
The Public Information Officer, after making a scrutiny of the nature of the information sought, and according to its nature, shall forward the application to the concerned principal officer/ head of the department within five days of the receipt of the application.

4.
The principal officer/ head of the department shall, either provide the required information on payment of such fee prescribed for it or reject the request for any reason specified in sections 8 and 9 of the act, within twenty days of the receipt of application routed through the Information Officer.

5.
Where a decision is taken to provide the information on payment of any further fee representing the cost of providing the information, it must be intimated to the applicant.





The details of fee chargeable for various purpose are:


i)
Those who require the information as print out/ typed matter in A4 paper; the applicant has to pay an additional cost of Rs. 2 per page of the documents to be received.


ii)
For information receivable in paper of bigger size the applicant has to remit the actual cost to the University.

iii)
For getting samples/ models, actual cost of the same has to be remitted.


iv)
In order to examine the records, University will not be charging the applicant for the first One Hour. Later the applicant will be charged @ Rs. 10 per 30 minute.


v)
The cost for providing data in CD/ Floppy will be Rs. 50/- piece.


vi)
Data available in print format will be charged at Rs. 2/- per page.


vii)
If the applicant belongs to Below Poverty Line (BPL), with authenticated records, he/ she shall be exempted from remitting the fees as mentioned above, and the University is duty bound to provide the information.





6.
If the principal officer/ head of the department fails to give decision on the request for information within this period, he or she shall be deemed to have refused the request

7.
Where a request is rejected, the applicant must be informed of


i)
the reason for rejection


ii)
the period within which an appeal against such rejection may be preferred and


iii)
the particulars of the appellate authority





8.
If any officer without any reasonable cause, refuses to receive an application for information or does not furnish the information within the specified time or malfidely deny the request for information or knowingly gives incorrect, incomplete or misleading information or destroy information which was subject of the request or obstruct in any manner in furnishing the information, along with disciplinary action, a penalty of Rs. 250/- each day till the information is furnished subject to a maximum of Rs. 25, 000/- can be imposed by the Information Commission on the erring officer.





Exemption from disclosure

9.
Strictly confidential matters related to the conduct of examinations and commission or committee reports are exempted from disclosure of information until the publication of result in the former case and the competent body considers the report in the later.





Rules for Appeal Procedure

10.
An appeal to the Vice-Chancellor shall contain the following information, namely


i)
Name and address of the applicant.


ii)
Particulars of the order.


iii)
Brief facts leading to the appeal.


iv)
If the appeal is preferred against deemed refusal, particulars of the application.





Documents to accompany appeal

11.
Every appeal made to the Vice-Chancellor shall be accompanied by following documents:


i)
Self attested copies of the Orders or documents against which the appeal is being preferred


ii)
An index of documents referred to in the appeal

12.
Service of Notice shall be under certificate of posting






The list of Information Officer/Assistant Information Officers and their charges of branches.


Appellate Authorities





a).All Joint Registrar's/Deputy Registrar's,the University Engineer,the Instrumentation Engineer,the Principal of Institute of Engineering and Technology,the Superintendent of Calicut University Press,the Dean of Students Welfare,the Programe Co-ordinator,National Service Scheme,the Director of Adult Education,Directors/Co-ordinators of Self-Financing institutions under the direct control of the University etc. will be the Public Informatioin Officers in their respective administrative units.
b). The Public Relations Officer will be thePublic Information Officer in the case of the University Teaching Departments,Information Centres/Study Centres etc.
c).All Assistant Registrars,Executive Engineers/Assistant Executive Engineers(where Executive Engineers are not available),Section Officers working in various Information/Study Centres/Teaching Departments will be the Assistant Public Information Officers in the respective administrative units/teaching departments/Information Centres/Study Centres etc.
d).The Conrtroller of Examinations,the Finance Officer and the Director,School of Distance Education will be the appellate authorities of the respective administrative units.
e).The Registrar will be the appellate authority of all other Branches/Offices.

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