Finding at Paragraph 7 of the Decision

Last but not the least there was ample debate regarding the deposit of application fees by sending Money Order. Rule 4 of the Orissa Right To Information Rules, 2005 is clear and express. Application fees can be deposited in cash. No where in the said Rule the Complainant has been asked to deposit the money in person. Therefore, there is no legal difficulty in receiving money order through the Postal Department which is cash. Such unfounded doubts should not be entertained by the PIO of the Public Authority.

It has been brought to the notice of the State Commission that many applications filed by the citizens under Section 6 of the RTI Act, 2005 are rejected by the PIOs because fee for the application has been paid in the shape of Indian Postal Order (I.P.O.) payable to the PIO of the concerned Public Authority. The PIOs take the plea that such mode of deposit of fee is not prescribed in Rule 4(1)(b) of the Orissa Right to Information Rules, 2005.

In the event of such deposit of Indian Postal Order the PIO can as well encash the fee amount from the Postal Department so as to deposit the same in the State Treasury under appropriate receipt Head. Admittedly such mode of payment has not been prescribed in the Rule supra. The State Commission has decided to permit such mode of payment of fee.