Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir RTI Foundation Saturday pointed to various issues and loopholes in the newly launched J&K Right to Information (RTI) Online Portal https://rtionline.jk.gov.in/.
Ion a press statement here, it said while the Foundation acknowledges the portal’s potential to improve government transparency, there are issues that could affect the user experience and the portal’s effectiveness in serving the public.
The J&K RTI Online Portal, inaugurated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah yesterday (January 10, 2025), aims to simplify the RTI filing process and provide citizens with easier access to government information. The Foundation, however, pointed out several operational flaws in it could hinder the portal’s usability and limit its success.
A primary concern raised by the Foundation is the warning message that greets users when they visit the portal. “The message, which warns applicants not to file RTI requests for Central government or other State government departments, appears prominently on the homepage.”
The Foundation argues that its placement could confuse first-time users and discourage them from using the system altogether. The Foundation has recommended adding a welcoming message to reassure users that the portal is intended for J&K government departments.
Another issue highlighted by the RTI Foundation is the mandatory requirement to upload a PDF document when submitting an RTI request. While applicants are already required to enter the RTI request text in the designated field, they must also upload a document, which the Foundation deems redundant.
Unlike the Central RTI Online Portal https://rtionline.gov.in/, where document uploads are optional, the J&K portal forces applicants to upload a document. If the document is not uploaded, applicants are redirected to an error page and forced to restart the process from scratch.
The Foundation has called for the document upload to be made optional and for the system to validate applications on the same page, prompting users to correct missing fields rather than closing the entire form.
The Foundation also raised concerns about a message displayed after submitting an application, which states that the application fee will not be refunded if the relevant public authority is not integrated into the portal. This message also warns that the application will not be transferred if the authority is not onboard.
The Foundation has urged the authorities to either onboard all public authorities onto the portal or use Section 6(3) of the RTI Act to forward applications to the relevant authority, even if it is not yet included in the system.
A particularly pressing issue for the Foundation is the exclusion of Jammu and Kashmir Bank from the portal.
The Bank, which is a public authority under the RTI Act, has its own RTI section on its website https://www.jkbank.com/others/common/rtiBank.php, but is not yet integrated into the portal.
The Foundation said it has received numerous complaints from citizens who are seeking to file RTI requests with the Bank but are unable to do so through the online system.
The Foundation has called for the J&K Bank to be included on the portal as soon as possible to facilitate easier access for RTI applicants.
The Foundation also pointed out that while users receive an SMS confirming their RTI application submission, no email confirmation is sent. The Foundation has recommended that email confirmations be introduced, similar to the process followed by the Central RTI Online Portal, to ensure applicants have an official record of their submissions.
While the J&K RTI Foundation commends the government’s initiative to introduce an online RTI filing system, it urges the authorities to address these issues promptly. By resolving these concerns, the portal can better serve the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and fulfill its intended purpose of enhancing transparency and accountability in governance, the press statement said.
