The Information Technology (IT) department today said that the J&K online RTI portal completely functions in compliance with  the RTI Act, 2005 and the portal does not restrict applicants from filing First Appeals where permitted by law.

The department said this in response to a news item published in a newspaper regarding  J&K Online RTI Portal restricting applicants from filing First Appeals before 30 days, allegedly in violation of the RTI Act, 2005.

A statement issued by department said that the matter has been examined in consultation with NIC, which manages the technical operations of the portal. It is clarified that there is no technical issue at the application end and the portal functions in compliance with the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005.

“As per the design if an RTI application is still under process with the concerned Public Information Officer (PIO), the system does not allow filing a First Appeal until the statutory period of 30 days is completed, since the PIO still has time to respond as per the Act. However, if the RTI application has been disposed of by the PIO before completion of 30 days, the portal allows applicants to file a First Appeal immediately, in line with the provisions of the Act”, the statement adds.

It further reads that the portal does not restrict applicants from filing First Appeals where permitted by law. It only ensures adherence to the statutory timelines to maintain procedural integrity under the RTI framework.