Government of Tripura
General Administration (AR) Department
Agartala,Tripura

The duties and functions of a Public Information Officer

A Public Information Officer plays the key role under the Act and has to perform the following duties and functions :- 

(i) to provide information to  persons who may seek information under the Act; [Sec-5(1)]

(ii) to deal with all requests seeking information and to render

reasonable assistance to persons seeking information; [Sec-5(3)]

(iii) to seek assistance of any other officer as may be necessary for discharge of his duties; [Sec-5(4)]

(iv) to render necessary assistance to an applicant who is unable to write an application and makes an oral request seeking any information and to reduce the request in writing; [Sec-6(1)]

(v) to render to an applicant who is sensorily disabled and seeks access to record, such assistance as may be appropriate for inspection of the record; [Sec-7(4)]

(vi) not to ask an applicant the reason why he requires the information or any other personal details except his contact address; [Sec-6(2)]

(vii) not to charge any fee from an applicant who belongs to a family below the poverty line; [Sec-7(5)]

(viii) to advise the public authority to transfer to the appropriate public authority, within five days, an application or part of an application for an information –

(a) which is held by another public authority;  or

(b) the subject-matter of which is more closely connected with the functions of another public authority   and  to give the applicant an intimation to that effect; [Sec-6(3)]

(ix) either to accept an application and provide to an applicant information as sought for on payment of prescribed fee or to reject the application within 30 (thirty) days of the receipt of the application; [Sec-7(1)]

(x) when an application is rejected, to communicate to the applicant in Form No.3 appended to the Rules:- 

(a) the grounds of rejection;

(b) the period within which he has a right to file an appeal against the order of rejection;  and

(c) the particulars of the appellate authority; [Sec-7(8) and Rule-6]

(xi) to provide to an applicant, within 48 (forty eight) hours of the receipt

of the application,  information which concerns the life or liberty of a person; [Proviso to Sec-7(1)]

(xii) to calculate further fee to be paid by an applicant for any information as sought for and send to the applicant, along with the following particulars:- 

(a) an intimation in form No. 2 appended to the Rules, to deposit the fee ;

(b) A statement as to how the additional fee has been calculated ;

(c) in case he has any grievance about the amount of fee charged, he has a right to file an appeal against the amount charged or the form of access provided within a period of 30 (thirty) days from the date of receipt of the intimation ;

(d) Full particulars of the appellate authority to whom the applicant can file his appeal. [Sec.-7(3) and Rule-5]

(xiii) to provide information free of charge if the PIO fails to provide the information within 30 days; [Sec-7(6)]

(xiv) to provide information ordinarily in the form in which in which it is sought, unless it would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority or would be detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in question; [Sec-7(9)]

(xv) to take note that the failure to provide information within the prescribed time limit shall be deemed to be a refusal to provide information [Sec-7(2)] and a refusal to provide information may lead to penal consequences under the Act;

(xvi) to take care that no third party information is provided to any applicant without giving notice to and without taking into consideration the representation of the third party concerned. [Sec-7(7) and 11]

6. Duties and functions of  a State Assistant Public Information Officer

 The main duties and functions of a State Assistant Public Information Officer  are as follows :-

(a)   to receive applications  of persons seeking  information and to forward the same within 5(five) days to the State Public Information Officer.[Sec-5(2)]

(b)  to receive  applications for appeals  and to forward the same to the  First Appellate Authority  or  the  State Information Commission, as the case may be, within a period of 5(five)days .[Sec-5(2)]

(c)   to receive application fee and other fees from the applicants seeking information and  to issue  money receipt to the applicants in Form No.1 appended to the Rules. [Rule-4(1)] 

(d)   to deposit into the treasury on weekly basis  the amount so received by  him as fees against the Receipt Head  of Account No 0075-Miscellaneous General Service, 800- Other Receipts (other miscellaneous receipts) of the State budget. [Rule-4(2)]

(e)  to maintain  proper account of the  money received by him.       [Rule-4(2)]

(f)   to record on the body of the application  that the applicant has paid the application fee of Rs. 10/- vide Receipt No…. dated…… and then to forward  the application to the  Public Information Officer within 5(five) days of its receipt. [Rule-4(3)]

(g)   to certify under his seal and signature  that  a document or a record is a copy of the original, if  the State Assistant Public Information Officer is so authorized by the State Public Information Officer. [Rule-10].

(h) to  do any other work or works   that may be entrusted to him by the State Assistant Public Information Officer.[Sec-2(m)].

These instructions prepared in consultation with the Law Department of the State Government & issued on Public Interest  by Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Tripura, General Administration (AR) Department.