🚨 RTI Violation: Why Mirzapur Police Must Stop Omitting Registration IDs

The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, is the cornerstone of India’s commitment to transparency and accountability. However, procedural lapses by public authorities can severely undermine the spirit of this law. A recent case highlights a deeply troubling practice by the Mirzapur Police—the deliberate omission of the unique RTI registration ID in their responses. This action is not merely an oversight; it constitutes a procedural violation that frustrates applicants and obstructs the very purpose of the Act.

1. The Crucial Role of the RTI Registration ID

Submitting an RTI application through the official Government of Uttar Pradesh portal is a standard, essential practice for information seekers. This process ensures proper documentation and processing.

• Automatic Generation: Upon submission, the system automatically generates a unique registration ID (e.g., SPMZR/R/2024/60222).
• Essential Reference: This ID is designed to serve as the sole reference point for all future communication, tracking, and accountability.
• Tracking and Accountability: Both the applicant and the public staff rely on this ID to track the application status, respond to queries, and maintain a clear, verifiable chain of communication.

2. The Problem: Vague and Cryptic Responses

It is profoundly unfortunate that the Mirzapur Police are overlooking this crucial registration ID in their official responses. Instead of acknowledging and addressing the specific application by its unique reference number, they appear to be using vague and cryptic approaches.

As your appeal details show (Registration Number SPMZR/A/2025/60015), the appellant was forced to file a First Appeal simply because the Public Information Officer (PIO) failed to respond to the original RTI application (SPMZR/R/2024/60222) within the statutory 30-day limit. The continued failure to cite the original registration ID in any subsequent communication only amplifies the lack of good faith.

3. A Violation of the Spirit and Letter of the RTI Act

Omitting the registration ID is not a trivial administrative error; it has serious implications:

• Creates Confusion: It serves to confuse and frustrate the information seekers, who are left with no official means to connect the response to their original query.
• Raises Intent Concerns: Such practices raise serious concerns about the intent and integrity of the grievance redressal process. It suggests a systemic attempt to avoid direct accountability for specific applications.
• Procedural Violation: The RTI framework promotes a clear, documented information exchange. Ignoring the official reference ID violates the fundamental procedural norms that underpin the Act’s objective of promoting transparency.

4. The Specific Case in Detail

The following details from your submitted appeal starkly illustrate the failure:

Detail	Original RTI Application (u/s 6(1))	First Appeal (u/s 19(1))
Registration Number	SPMZR/R/2024/60222	SPMZR/A/2025/60015
Date of Filing	29/11/2024	29/01/2025
PIO Name	Om Prakash Singh (ASP Operation)	N/A
Ground For Appeal	No Response Within the Time Limit (More than 60 days passed)	N/A
Relief Sought	Direct PIO to provide information, initiate disciplinary action against PIO, and provide reasons for using cryptic/mysterious dealings and omitting registration IDs.	N/A

The fact that the applicant had to explicitly ask for the registration ID of related departmental letters (Points 2 and 3 of the prayer) demonstrates the depth of the systemic issue with unreferenced communication.

Conclusion and Way Forward

The Mirzapur Police and all public authorities must immediately and strictly adhere to the procedural norms of the RTI framework. Every communication relating to an RTI application or appeal must clearly cite the unique Registration ID.

The appellate authority (FAA Abhinandan, SP Mirzapur) is directed to address two primary points in this case:

1. Direct PIO: Direct the Public Information Officer to provide the requested information against registration number SPMZR/R/2024/60222 at the earliest.
2. Ensure Accountability: Initiate disciplinary proceedings against the PIO for violating Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005, by failing to provide information within the stipulated 30-day period, and for the systemic failure to use the official registration ID in correspondence.

Only by enforcing strict adherence to these procedural norms can the goal of transparency and accountability, as envisioned by the RTI Act, be truly realised.

That’s a great question, especially given your focus on adherence to the RTI process!

Here are the key official web links for filing RTI applications and appeals in India, particularly highlighting the portal for the Government of Uttar Pradesh:

🔗 Official RTI Web Links

1. Central Government (All Ministries/Departments of the Government of India)

Portal	Description	Link
RTI Online (Central)	For filing RTI Applications and First Appeals with all Central Government Ministries and Departments.	https://rtionline.gov.in/
View Status (Central)	To track the status of applications filed on the Central portal.	https://rtionline.gov.in/request/status.php

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2. Government of Uttar Pradesh (UP)

This is the relevant portal for filing requests with departments like the Mirzapur Police.

Portal	Description	Link
RTI Online (UP)	The official portal for filing RTI Applications and First Appeals for Departments/Public Authorities of the Government of Uttar Pradesh.	https://rtionline.up.gov.in/
State Information Commission (UP)	Official website of the UP State Information Commission, useful for checking rules, lists of PIOs/FAAs, and potentially filing Second Appeals.	https://upsic.up.gov.in/

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3. Other Key State/Competent Authority Portals

Portal	Description	Link
RTI Online (Delhi)	For filing RTI applications/appeals with Departments/Public Authorities under the Government of NCT of Delhi.	https://rtionline.delhi.gov.in/
Supreme Court of India	Online portal to file RTI applications/appeals specifically to the Supreme Court of India.	https://rti.sci.gov.in/

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⚠️ Important Note for Filing:

Always ensure you are using the correct portal:

• Use the Central Portal for Ministries/Departments under the Government of India (e.g., Railways, Central Banks, Income Tax).
• Use the State Portal (like https://rtionline.up.gov.in/ for your case) for Departments/Authorities under the respective State Government (e.g., State Police, PWD, local administration).