BPL Student Asked for Information Under RTI, Officials Demand ₹4.08 Lakh Fee

Jabalpur: In a shocking incident in Jabalpur, a Below Poverty Line (BPL) student and law aspirant, Aman Vanshkar, was asked to pay over ₹4 lakh by a power company to access information requested under the Right to Information (RTI) Act—a request that should have been free of cost. The case has prompted intervention from the Madhya Pradesh State Human Rights Commission.

Aman had filed an RTI application seeking certified details of regular and outsourced employees, as well as registered consumers, of the Madhya Pradesh East Zone Electricity Distribution Company’s North Division, Manegaon Pipariya DC.

RTI Rules Ignored
In his application, Aman clearly mentioned that he comes from a BPL family, which under the RTI Act entitles him to free access to information. Despite this, the Public Information Officer and Assistant Engineer issued a written notice demanding a fee of ₹4.08 lakh before releasing the details. Distressed by this, Aman approached the State Human Rights Commission, alleging a violation of the RTI Act, 2005. According to Section 7(5) of the Act, BPL applicants are exempt from paying any fees for information requests.

Commission Orders Inquiry
Taking the complaint seriously, the State Human Rights Commission has instructed the Jabalpur District Collector to conduct a fair investigation and ensure appropriate action. The commission has also demanded a detailed report on the matter.

This incident raises serious questions about the compliance of government departments with RTI regulations and the treatment of economically weaker applicants seeking information under the transparency law.