Calcutta High Court (Right to Information) Rules, 2006

Registered No. WB/SC-320
No. WB/CPS/K-164 (Part I)/2007

The Kolkata Gazette

Extraordinary
Published by Authority

Friday, February 2, 2007
[Saka 1928 — Megha 15]

PART I

Orders and Notifications by the Governor of West Bengal, the High Court, Government Treasury, etc.

HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA

NOTIFICATION

No. 133-G dated 9th January, 2007

In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 28(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act 22 of 2005), the Hon’ble the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, being the Competent Authority, is pleased to make the following Rules to carry out the provisions of the said Act insofar as they relate to matters falling within the jurisdiction of this High Court.

1. Short Title and Commencement

These Rules may be called the Calcutta High Court (Right to Information) Rules, 2006.
They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2. Definitions

Unless the context otherwise requires:

• “Act” means the Right to Information Act, 2005.
• “Appellate Authority” means the authority designated by the Chief Justice of the High Court at Calcutta.
• “Authorized Person” means the Public Information Officer and the Assistant Public Information Officer.
• “Public Information Officer” includes:
  • Deputy Registrar (Administration), Appellate Side;
  • Assistant Master and Referee, Original Side;
  • Chief Judicial Magistrate in District Courts;
  • Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Sub-Divisional Courts.
• “Assistant Public Information Officer” includes:
  • Assistant Registrars or Section Officers/Superintendents on the Appellate and Original Sides;
  • Senior-most Civil Judge (Junior Division) in Sadar/Sub-Divisional Courts.

Words and expressions not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them under the Act.

3. Request for Information

Requests for information may be made in writing or by electronic means in English, Hindi, or Bengali, accompanied by the prescribed fee, to the Public Information Officer or Assistant Public Information Officer. Where a request cannot be made in writing, reasonable assistance shall be provided to reduce it into written form.

4. Disposal of Requests

Requests shall be disposed of in accordance with Sections 6 and 7 of the Act.

5. Exempted Information

No obligation shall arise to disclose information exempted under Section 8 of the Act.

6. Appeal

An appeal under Section 19 of the Act may be preferred to the Appellate Authority within the prescribed period, subject to extension as provided under the Act.

7. Penalties

Failure to furnish information within the stipulated time or furnishing false information shall attract penalties as determined by the Appellate Authority, after giving reasonable opportunity of hearing.

8. Suo Motu Disclosure

Public authorities shall publish information as required under Section 4 of the Act through printed publications, notice boards, information counters, and electronic means, with annual updates.

9. Fees

• Application fee:
  • ₹500 for tender, bid, or contract-related information;
  • ₹50 for other information.
• Copying fee: ₹5 per page.
• Appeal fee: ₹50 per appeal.

Forms

Forms ‘A’ to ‘E’ are prescribed for applications, transfers, rejections, supply of information, and appeals under the Act.

By Order of the High Court

Raghu Nath Ray
Registrar General (In-Charge)
High Court at Calcutta

Corrigendum

By Notification No. 4776-G dated 2nd August, 2008, Forms ‘A’ to ‘E’ appended to the Rules were substituted with revised forms.

Further Notification

By Notification No. 15209-G dated 14th December, 2009, the Registrar (Administration) of the High Court at Calcutta and the District Judge of each district were designated as Appellate Authorities for purposes of the Act.

Published by the Controller of Printing & Stationery, West Bengal, and printed at the Government/DTP Press, Kolkata.