Supreme Court orders all High Courts to establish online RTI portals within 3 months

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered all the twenty-five High Courts in the country to set up online Right to Information (RTI) Act portals to deal with RTI applications. .A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala also asked registrar generals of High Courts to seek directions from their respective Chief Justices for establishment of such portals for district judiciary."We direct all High Courts to establish online RTI portals within 3 months from today. 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 directed.The order was passed in light of the fact that the Supreme Court had already set up such a portal."Now we will direct all High courts to set up online RTI portals since Supreme Court has done it," the top court said.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 all the States in the case..During the hearing on Monday, the top court noted that 18 States had filed their replies. Further, the Court noted that very few High Court have online RTI portals. "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 has established website for RTI. Karnataka uses the State govt portal," the Court said in its order.It, therefore, directed all other High Courts to follow suit and establish their RTI portals..[Read order]