Use of SMS for information regarding RTI appeals at SIC
30 Jul, 2012The State Information Commission (SIC) of Tamilnadu is planning to use the SMS service for intimating crucial information to the applicants. Implementation of the service would allow the RTI applicants to keep a track of the cases on their mobile phones. It has been envisaged that every RTI applicant will receive three SMS. The first SMS would be sent when the case number is generated. The second message will be sent after the case is posted for hearing and the third when the case is finally disposed. It would allow the RTI applicants to view the status of their applications by the case number from the website of the SIC.
Mr. K S Sripati, the Chief Information Commissioner of the Tamilnadu SIC said that the commission is working to provide case details by SMS facility to RTI applicants and the system should be up and running in a couple of months. The Tamilnadu SIC plans to use a designated SMS service number for the system and has had initial discussions with Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot), National Informatics Centre (NIC) and mobile service providers like BSNL to develop the software and integrate the messaging service.
The messaging service can help in improving the system and end many of its shortcomings at a very low cost. Currently, the notices are sent to the applicants by post. The messaging service will be of use to the applicants who provide their mobile numbers in RTI applications.
The Tamilnadu SIC received nearly 56,000 RTI petitions in 2011.