All High Courts to establish online RTI portals within 3 months: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has instructed all the twenty-five High Courts in the country for setting up the online Right to Information Act (RTI Act) portals for dealing with the RTI applications. 

A bench comprising of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud along with JusticePS Narasimhaa and Justice JB Pardiwala have asked the registrar generals of High Courts for seeking directions from their respective Chief Justices for establishment of such portals for district judiciary.

The court directed that all High Courts to establish online RTI portals within 3 months from today.

The Court said that the High Courts can formulate adequate provisions to facilitate supply of adequate information. Information to be passed onto the secretary generals of High Courts for administrative directions from the Chief Justices (of High Courts).Same directions to be sought from Chief Justice for the district judiciary.

The court passed this order after the Apex Court had already set up such a portal.

The top court has said that we will direct all High courts to set up online RTI portals since Supreme Court has done it.

The Court was hearing a plea seeking online RTI portals for all High Courts and district courts.

The Supreme Court had earlier sought the response of the State.

While the hearing was going on the matter, the top court noted that 18 States had filed their replies. Also,only very few High Court have online RTI portals. 

The Court said in its order that after a lapse of 17 years, some High Courts still await to operationalize the websites for this pupose. Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa High Courts have established website for RTI. Karnataka uses the State govt portal.

It, therefore, directed all other High Courts to follow suit and establish their RTI portals