SRINAGAR: The Information Technology (IT) Department on Friday clarified that the J&K Online RTI Portal is fully compliant with the RTI Act, 2005, and does not prevent applicants from filing First Appeals where permitted under the law.
The clarification came in response to a newspaper report alleging that the portal restricts applicants from filing First Appeals before 30 days, in violation of the RTI Act.
In a statement, the department said the matter was reviewed in consultation with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), which manages the portal’s technical operations. It confirmed that there is no technical issue at the application end and that the system functions strictly in accordance with the RTI Act, 2005.
“As per the design, if an RTI application is still under consideration with the concerned Public Information Officer (PIO), the system does not allow filing of a First Appeal until the statutory 30-day period has passed, since the PIO still has time to reply under the Act. However, if the PIO disposes of the application before the completion of 30 days, the portal allows the applicant to file a First Appeal immediately, in line with the Act,” the statement explained.
It added that the portal ensures compliance with statutory timelines and procedural integrity, while not restricting applicants from exercising their rights under the RTI framework.
