T’puram: Health minister K Muraleedharan urged govt officials and the state information commission (SIC) to uphold the spirit of Right to Information (RTI) Act.Inaugurating a seminar organized by SIC for govt officials from the Vattiyoorkavu, Kazhakkoottam and Nemom constituencies on Thursday, Muraleedharan said that a citizen’s responsibility does not end after casting vote and that people have the right to know about developments in their locality and to question the performance of their elected representatives.Although amendments have been made to RTI Act, there should be no compromise in protecting citizens’ rights, the minister addedHe also urged officials to move away from the mindset that providing information within 30 days is sufficient.“The law calls for information to be furnished as quickly as possible, with 30 days being only the upper limit. Delays in sharing information should be avoided, and officials must examine applications carefully and act without delay,” Muraleedharan said.The minister added that the relatively low number of appeals in Kerala compared to other states reflects the commission’s efficient functioning.
