Allow Cookies!
By using our website, you agree to the use of cookies
On Thursday, the Supreme Court disposed of a writ petition challenging Section 6 of the Right to Information Act for its discrimination against visually impaired persons, illiterate persons or persons that are affiliated by other kinds of disabilities. The bench, comprising of CJI Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, directed the petitioner Aseer Jamal to submit a representation to the competent authority highlighting any other mode(s) available for procuring information under the RTI Act.
Aseer Jamal approached the Apex Court with the contention that Section 6 of the RTI Act suffers from an unreasonable classification between visually-impaired and visually-abled persons and thereby violates Article 14 of the Constitution. It was further contended by Mr. Jamal that certain provisions of the Act are not accessible topersons below the poverty line, orthopedically-impaired persons and persons withany access to the Internet.
The bench, refusing to examine constitutionality of the provision, recorded the Attorney General’s submission stating that it was obligatory on the part of the State Public Information Officer or Central Public Information Officer to render all the reasonable assistance to the persons who make the request orally and to reduce the same in writing. The AG also informed the court that several states provide information in Braille since 2012 along with several hotline numbers providing toll-free access to information, available on the RTI website.
The bench then ordered that the petitioner will be granted thee authority to submit a representation to the competent authority, and when submitted, the same shall be dealt with sympathy, concern and empathy. The differently-abled, along with visually impaired should be provided with the functional facility to receive all the information permissible under the Act. Additionally, the bench asked the authorities to explore and further possibilities of advanced technology available to introduce newer methods.
86540
103860
630
114
59824