RTI queries with regard to COVID to be heard expeditiously.

Amidst the pandemic, the High Court at Madras has stressed that RTI queries raised under the Right to Information Act that deal with COVID-19 should be resolved expeditiously. Additionally, the Commissioners are required to devote three to four hours for all COVID related matters. Such queries must be dispensed off within a week.

Relevant extracts of the said judgment have been reproduced below-

“It may do well for the State and the Centre to consider whether, particularly during the present Covid crisis, benches of the State Information Commission and the Chief Information Commission can take up matters on the virtual mode upon indicating an e-filing system to deal with Covid-related matters at least for three or four hours a day. The matter may be considered as expeditiously as possible and a decision communicated to the petitioner within a week from date.”