The Orissa High Court has directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to provide information under Right To Information (RTI) to a BPL card holder free of cost as per the provision of the RTI Act, 2005.
Hearing a petition filed by one Kunja Behari Patra of Nayagarh’s Dasapalla, a division bench of the HC comprising Chief Justice C Nagappan and Justice P Mohanty observed that the RTI Act stipulates that no fee shall be charged from the persons who are below poverty line. Since Patra comes under that category, cost for information cannot be imposed on him, the bench said.
Reacting to a complaint filed by Patra, the State Information Commission had directed the NH Sub-Division, Nayagarh to furnish information to the petitioner after he submits the cost of information.