BPL Card Holder Asked to Pay ₹4 Lakh, Human Rights Commission Orders Action

Jabalpur: In a shocking misuse of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, a BPL (Below Poverty Line) cardholder was asked to pay a staggering ₹4 lakh in exchange for information that should have been provided free of cost. The Madhya Pradesh State Human Rights Commission has taken serious note of the matter and directed the Jabalpur Collector to take appropriate action.

Under the RTI Act, 2005, Section 7(5) clearly states that applicants belonging to BPL families are exempted from paying any fees for filing applications or obtaining information. However, in this incident, a law student, Aman Vanshkar, reported to the Commission that he was asked to deposit ₹4,08,850 to obtain certified copies of records from the Manegaon Pipariya DC office, which falls under the Jabalpur North division of the Madhya Pradesh Eastern Region Electricity Distribution Company. Vanshkar submitted all necessary documents proving his BPL status along with his RTI application.

Instead of complying with the law, the departmental Public Information Officer and the Assistant Engineer demanded the hefty sum in writing. Taking the complaint seriously, the State Human Rights Commission instructed the Jabalpur Collector to ensure prompt and just action to resolve the matter.

This case has raised serious concerns over the implementation of RTI provisions intended to protect the rights of economically weaker sections and highlights the urgent need for accountability among public officials.