Karnataka extends online RTI filing to all Bengaluru One, Karnataka One and Grama One centres

The Karnataka government has brought the registration of physical Right to Information (RTI) applications under the Sakala Services Act, 2011, and extended online RTI filing facilities to all Bengaluru One, Karnataka One and Grama One centres to make the process more accessible and transparent.

Under the new provisions, public authorities receiving RTI applications by post or in person must register them on the RTI online portal within two days. The service has been notified as a guaranteed service under the Sakala Act, ensuring that applicants receive an online registration number and can track the status of their applications.

If an application is not uploaded within the stipulated two days, the applicant will be eligible for compensation under the Sakala Act, and the officer concerned will be held responsible, according to a statement issued by Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary, Praja Seva Department.

Through service centres

The government has also extended online RTI filing through service centres to help people who do not have access to the internet or are unfamiliar with computers. Applicants can visit their nearest Bengaluru One, Karnataka One or Grama One centre and seek assistance from staff to submit an application.

Applicants will have to pay the prescribed RTI fee and a nominal service charge levied by the centre. An online acknowledgement will be issued at the centre itself. The extension to Grama One centres is intended to make online RTI filing accessible to people in rural areas through facilities at the gram panchayat level.

A government order issued in this regard said the measures would bring physical applications, direct online submissions and applications filed through service centres onto a common platform. This is expected to make it easier to monitor compliance with the timelines prescribed under the Right to Information Act, 2005, and identify delays by information officers.

The measures have been approved by the Chief Minister, the statement said, urging citizens to use the online portal or their nearest service centre to file RTI applications.

Timelines for disposing appeals

The guidelines also prescribe timelines for disposing of appeals under the RTI process. First appeals must be decided by the competent appellate authority within seven working days. Second appeals must also be disposed of within seven working days by the appellate authority concerned, identified in the order as the Secretary of the department concerned.

The order also provides for cases in which the Public Information Officer (PIO) concerned is not registered on the RTI online portal. In such instances, the application must be forwarded to the district- or department-level nodal officer, who will be responsible for ensuring that the PIO is registered on the portal without delay.

Earlier, applications submitted physically could face delays before being entered into the online system. Bringing their registration under the Sakala framework makes the two-working-day deadline mandatory and is expected to help applicants monitor the status of their applications online, the statement said.

EOM/