🛠️Features of the Portal
An Explainer of some of the features of the system and how it solves the issues and limitations of the current RTI Mechanism
Fully Digitized
The RTI portal makes it insanely easy to send out an RTI Request. Everything can be done either through a PC or even your mobile phone. There is no need to print, sign, scan upload and email requests through the portal.
Fill in the required fields in a web form and the RTI Application Form (PDF) will auto-generate once signed by the user. This will then be sent out to the institution after verification from the team.
Centrally displayed and Curated
All the requests sent through the portal will be displayed along with their timeline of events. (when it was sent, acknowledged, replied to, extended, ignored, the works) This list of requests along with the information recieved will be public and searchable.
Along with the RTI requests sent being visible to everyone, all the data received will also be published on data.archive.mv. This is done with the idea to promote data sharing and data disclosure to allow the public to eventually identify and fill the data gaps and improve the data set over time. (This is a long game)
All the data will centrally be displayed on data.archive.mv as well as will be viewable through the responses and documents released in response to an individual right to information request as visible in the above example.
data.archive.mv will get populated with data and released later this year
Tracking of RTI Requests
RTI Requests are time-bound. (As stipulated in the RTI Act) Both for the requester as well as the institution that would respond to the RTI request.
The portal does the tracking from the time that the request is sent to when the data has to be received. Automating the process ensures that no time is lost (because we tend to forget) and reminders are sent to both the requester as well as the institution so that we can push for data disclosure.
Additionally, we also use this time data points to grade the institution on how responsive they are to requests.
We intend to publish data on the performance of institutions when it comes to responsiveness as well as timely disclosure of information. Current experience with the system is that Institutions wait till the very last day to respond.
Twitter Bot
The portal also has a Twitter bot linked to the portal's Twitter account @RTIPortalMv
The bot's primary function is to inform, remind and build public pressure around Right to Information.
How the bot works
The Bot is programmed to release tweets triggered by events. This could be a new RTI Request sent out through the portal, information is received, not received, the deadline for response passes, etc.
In the cases where information has not been received and the institutions are delaying disclosure, the bot will also tweet to the heads of those institutions and other personnel associated with the organization.
This is to build public pressure for information disclosure.
If it is information that you are interested in getting the government institution to disclose then the public can help by commenting, retweeting, and liking these tweets.
The aim is to collectively work together for more data and information disclosure.
Subscribing to Requests
Everyone can subscribe to any RTI request as all the requests would be displayed publically as mentioned in the Fully Digitized section of this document.
Beyond using twitter to subscribe to tweet notifications you are also individually able to subscribe to RTI Requests so that you get access to the documents as soon as it's received and uploaded onto the system.
Subscribers will be notified via email with the documents also attached in the email.
Mobile SMS notification is still a work in progress. Will be rolled out later in the year. Depending on how fast we are able to grow the user base.
Additionally, Journalists and Media Firms can hop onto our Permanent Subscriber list. This would ensure that they receive information and data on all RTI Requests that are sent through the system.
Display of Number of Subscribers
We will be publicly displaying how many people are subscribed to the RTI Request. This will publically show how many people are interested in getting that information disclosed by that institution.
Together we will put pressure on the government to disclose more and more information and data proactively.
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