Committee to look into feasibility of special stamps for RTI

The idea had been rejected by a previous panel

Postal department has set up a new committee to look into the possibility of issuing special stamps to pay for right to information (RTI) fee after the idea was rejected by a previous panel.

"Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the nodal authority responsible for administering the RTI Act, 2005, had not recommended the use of postage stamps or RTI Stamps as RTI fee for various difficulties mentioned in the report which is enclosed," the department has told activist Subhash Agrawal.

The Department of Posts said it has to constitute a fresh committee, with the approval of competent authority, to examine the feasibility of usage of RTI stamps as RTI fee and furnish a report on their recommendations.

A previous committee comprising representatives from postal department, DoPT and Central Information Commission had concluded that the amount charged under RTI is a fee not related to a postal article thus according to the present Indian Postal Act, 1898, postage stamps cannot be used for payment of RTI fee or costs.

"In case, postage stamps are to be used as mode of payment for RTI fee or costs, there would be a statutory requirement to have an account of each such transaction made through postage stamps," it had said.