Citizens using RTI have not been able to access status reports of their applications from the RTI portal since the beginning of the year. The portal requests a one-time password (OTP), which must be sent to the applicant’s email. But, RTI activists told TOI, the OTP is either not received or, if received, it does not work. Despite repeated complaints to the RTI helpline and the personnel and training department, the ‘glitch’ has not been fixed.
“The method followed earlier was easier to use. Why do they need to add one more step to access the information, which is a right of citizens? Why is an OTP needed after entering the RTI application number, email ID and security code to see the RTI Response/Status?” asked Dr KV Babu, ophthalmologist and RTI activist.
When the applicant tries to find out the status of his application, he gets a message saying, “OTP via email may take some time. As soon as you enter the OTP via email, you will be able to see the status of the RTI application/appeal. Time limit for OTP is not there.”
“I can file an RTI application seeking information, but I can’t check the status because the site asks for an OTP. But I didn’t get any OTP. Without it, there is no way I can check the status of my application,” said another frequent user of the RTI portal, Dr. Aman Kaushik.
“For banking transactions, you get OTP almost immediately. Why can’t the government do the same with the RTI portal? And how can they say there is no time limit for OTP? I got an SMS on my phone informing me “The response to my RTI application is ready, but there is no way I can access it due to this OTP mess,” said Dr. Babu, adding that this has not only complicated the search for information through RTI, but It has also delayed the entire process, denying the right of a citizen under the RTI law.
There was no response to the helpline complaints or TOI’s queries to the Press Information Bureau regarding the malfunctioning of the RTI portal.