Odisha Right to Information Rules, 2005

Response Timeline

30 days under RTI Act 2005, s.7(1). Life or liberty requests: 48 hours (s.7(1) proviso). If information from a third party: 40 days. BPL applicants are exempt from all fees. Cash is the only payment mode specified in Rule 4(1)(b) of the 2006 Amendment Rules, though SCIC Odisha has directed SPIOs to also accept IPO and money orders.

Exemptions

• Information affecting sovereignty, integrity, security, or relations with foreign states (s.8(1)(a))
• Information expressly forbidden by court or which would constitute contempt (s.8(1)(b))
• Information whose disclosure is prohibited by Parliament/Legislature (s.8(1)(c))
• Cabinet papers including deliberations of the Council of Ministers (s.8(1)(i))
• Trade secrets or commercial confidence causing competitive harm (s.8(1)(d))
• Information held in fiduciary capacity (s.8(1)(e))
• Information received in confidence from a foreign government (s.8(1)(f))
• Information that would impede investigation, prosecution, or fair trial (s.8(1)(g),(h))
• Personal information with no public interest justification (s.8(1)(j))

Exemptions mirror RTI Act 2005 ss.8-9. Notwithstanding any exemption, information that cannot be denied to Parliament/Legislature cannot be denied to a citizen (s.8(2)). Public interest override applies (s.8(2)).

Appeal Process

Odisha Information Commission, Block B1, Toshali Bhawan, Satyanagar, Bhubaneswar-751007. Constituted under s.15(1) RTI Act vide Gazette 11 Oct 2005.

Sources & References

• Full text of law →
• Primary source →
• https://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/content/state-level-rti-odisha
• https://orissasoochanacommission.nic.in/orissa_information_commission.html