RIGHT TO INFORMATION
The Right to Information under the provisions of the RTI Act is available to the citizens of India only. RTI Act is an important legislation designed to promote transparency and accountability in the functioning of public authorities.
The full text of the RTI Act is available on the website: http://rti.gov.in. The RTI Act also provides for appeals by aggrieved persons to the Central Information Commission of the Government of India. Indian citizens resident in Rwanda may seek information in writing on payment of requisite fee during office hours on working days as per procedure laid down in the RTI Act, 2005.
Contact details of officers for addressing applications under Right to Information Act, 2005:
Central Public Information Officer
Mr. Vinod Kumar,Second Secretary (Pol)
Email: pol.kigali@mea.gov.in
Appellate Authority
Shri Mridu Pawan Das, High Commissioner.
Email: hc.kigali@mea.gov.in
Applications seeking information under the Act may be sent along with a fee in Rwandan Franc equivalent to INR 10/- (Indian Rupee ten only) in cash/ demand draft payable to High Commission of India, Kigali.
It may be noted that information provided under the Act is available to citizens of India only. Applications should be submitted along with documentary proof of Indian Citizenship (like copy of personal particulars pages of passport). More information is available at http://rti.gov.in. The mailing address is High Commission of India, No. 67, KG 9 Av., Nyarutarama, Kigali.
It may also be pointed out that as per section 6(1) (a) of the RTI Act, 2005, a person who desires to obtain information under the Act is required to submit the application to the Information Officer of the “concerned public authority”. Applicants are, therefore, advised to send their requests under the RTI Act to the High Commission only when the subject matter can reasonably be presumed to pertain to the High Commission. While section 6 (3) provides for the transfer of an application by a receiving PIO to another [concerned] PIO, this is clearly meant to cover situations where the application is addressed to a PIO on the assumption that it has been directed to the concerned PIO. Where the information required obviously does not pertain to the High Commission, the application may be addressed to the concerned PIO directly.
Payment of RTI fee online – Electronic Indian Postal Order (eIPO).
The scheme of Electronic Indian Postal Order (eIPO) has been launched by the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in association with Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). This would enable the Indian citizens abroad to also pay the RTI fee online. An Indian Postal Order can be purchased electronically by paying a fee on-line through e-Post Office Portal or through India Post website. The web-links for payment are:
www.indiapost.gov.in
www.epostoffice.gov.in
Procedure for obtaining eIPO
The RTI applicant is required to register on the website to create his/ her profile. Then he has to select the Ministry/ Department from whom he desires to seek information under the RTI Act. The eIPO is generated which can be used to seek information from that Ministry/ Department only. A printout of the eIPO is required to be attached with the RTI application sent in hardcopy. In case RTI application is filed electronically, the eIPO is enclosed as an attachment. The profile is required to be created during the first time only.
The RTI application accompanied by an eIPO is similar in all respects to the RTI application accompanied by fees through any other approved mode. All the provisions regarding eligibility, time limit, exemptions etc; as provided in the RTI Act, 2005 continue to apply.