No.27163/I&PR. In exercise of the power conferred by Section 27 of the Right to Information Act (No.22 of 2005), the State Government do hereby make the following rules, namely –

1. Short title and commencement. –(1) These rules may be called the Orissa Right to Information Rules, 2005.
   (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Orissa Gazette.
2. Definitions. –
   (1) In these rules, unless there is anything repugnant in the
   subject or context –
   
   1. ‘Act’ means the Right to Information Act, 2005 (No. 22 of 2005);
   2. ‘BPL Card’ means a card issued to any citizen who is below the poverty line;
   3. ‘fee’ means amount payable by the applicant for obtaining any information under the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 6 and sub-sections (1) and (5) of section 7 excluding the cost of providing information;
   4. ‘form’ means a form appended to these rules;
   5. ‘identity’ means an evidence to show the citizenship like an electoral photo identity card, a passport or any other document which can satisfy the authority about the citizenship of the person;
   6. ‘Nodal Officer’ means the Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, Information & Public Relations Department;
   7. ‘Public Information Officer’ means the State Public Information Officerdesignated under sub-section (1) of section 5 of the Act and includes an Assistant Public Information Officer designated as such under sub-section (2) thereof;
   8. ‘Schedule’ means a Schedule appended to these rules; and
   9. ‘State Government’ means the Government of Orissa
   
   (2)Words and expressions used but not defined in these rules shall have the meaning as assigned to them in the Act.
3. Appointment & Obligations of Public Information Officers. –
   (1) A public authority, if it is a department of State Government, shall designate as many officers as it deem proper, not below the rank of Under Secretary as Public Information Officers.
   (2) In each sub-ordinate office of the Department of Government including the Heads of Department and offices in the district and Sub-divisional level the head of such offices shall designate as many officers as they deem proper as Public Information Officers and Assistant Public Information Officers.
   (3) Every public authority other than those mentioned in sub-rules (1) and (2) of the said rule 3 shall designate one or more Public Information Officers in all administrative units and offices under such authority:
   Provided that every such public authority shall, while designating such officers as Public Information Officers so designated, ensure that an officer higher in rank to public Information Officer, is available to be specified as Appellate Authority.
   (4) If, for any reason beyond the control of Public Information Officer furnishing of information is delayed, he shall record reasons with justification thereof and shall communicate the Head of the office about such delay.
4. Procedure to obtain information. –
   (1) A citizen desirous of any information may apply for information in form A to the Public Information Officer, with the required fee in shape of Treasury Challan or cash as specified in the Schedule under the appropriate head of Account:
   Provided that application fee shall not be payable in case of a person whose name appears in the latest list of persons below poverty line for which he has to produce BPL Card.
   Provided that a citizen seeking information through electronic means has to submit evidence regarding deposit of prescribed application fee.
   (2) The Public Information Officer or any other officer authorized by him shall furnish the acknowledgement and after being satisfied with the identity of the applicant shall also intimate in form B as soon as possible the amount of cost for providing information required to be paid by the applicant in cash, as mentioned in the Schedule.
   (3) The applicant may deposit the said amount within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of such information, failing which the application shall stand rejected.