The Government has constituted a committee
consisting of representatives of Department of Personnel & Training,
Central Information Commission, Department of Posts and Office of Controller of
Accounts (Department of Personnel & Training) to examine whether postal
stamps can be used for payment of RTI fees under the Right to Information Act,
2005. The Committee has given its report on 24.02.2015. The Committee has
observed that the use of postage stamps as mode of payment for RTI fee/costs is
neither legally feasible nor feasible from the accounting point of view.
Moreover, it would not be in line with the Government initiatives towards
Digital India. Hence, the Committee has recommended that postage stamps may not
be used as mode of payment for RTI fee/costs. The report of the Committee has
been accepted by the competent authority.
The Central Government has already
launched RTI Online portal for online filing of RTI applications, including
online payment of RTI fee/costs. Moreover, the facility of eIPO (electronic
India Postal Order) has been launched for purchase of IPOs electronically by
online payment.
This was stated by the Minister of State
for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in Prime
Minister’s office Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question by Shri
Dhananjay Mahadik, Shri Satav Rajeev, Dr. Heena Vijaykumar Gavit and Shri
Mohite Patil Vijayasinh Shankarrao in the Lok Sabha today
//copy// source-Lok Sabha