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Right to Information Officers

Right to Information (RTI) - Statutory Authorities

Under the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005, citizens have the legal right to request and obtain official data, files, and records held by local self-government institutions. To seamlessly process applications, transfer information, or handle appeals when a response is missing or unsatisfactory, Koppam Gramapanchayat has designated the statutory hierarchy of officers detailed below.

Statutory DesignationDesignated OfficerLegal Duties & Responsibilities
Assistant Public Information Officer (APIO)Head Clerk / Junior Superintendent (JS) Panchayat Office, Koppam
  • Receives standard physical or postal RTI applications directly from the public.
  • Verifies that application fee elements (Court Fee Stamp or cash receipt tokens) are accurately annexed.
  • Promptly routes the accepted files internally to the Public Information Officer (PIO) without delay.
Public Information Officer (PIO)Assistant Secretary Administrative Wing, Koppam Gramapanchayat
  • Holds direct statutory accountability to trace, compile, and deliver requested records from the office files to the applicant.
  • Legally bound to process the filing and issue official responses within **30 days** from application receipt.
  • Ensures that data is transparently provided, except for specific entries exempted under Section 8 of the RTI Act.
First Appellate Authority (FAA)Panchayat Secretary Administrative Head, Koppam
  • Adjudicates first-level appeals if the PIO fails to respond within timelines, or if the provided response is incomplete or incorrect.
  • Empowered to issue legally binding directives forcing the PIO to dispatch information to the user free of charge.
  • Conducts statutory hearings and issues final resolutions within 30 days (extendable to a maximum of 45 days with written justifications).
Second Appellate Authority (SAA)State Information Commission, Kerala
(SIC Kerala) Punnoon Road, Thiruvananthapuram
  • The highest statutory court of appeal for citizens aggrieved by the decisions or rulings of the First Appellate Authority (Panchayat Secretary).
  • Empowered to initiate disciplinary actions and impose financial penalties on defaulting officers at a rate of ₹250 per day (up to a maximum of ₹25,000).
  • Decisions and final orders passed by the State Commission are absolute and legally binding on the local self-government body.

Public Notice & Appeal Timelines:

  1. Application Fee: Every standard application requires a processing fee of ₹10 (payable via cash at the Panchayat counter, Court Fee Stamp, or Treasury Chalan). Applicants belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) frameworks are completely exempt from fees upon producing a valid copy of their BPL card.
  2. First Appeal Filing: If the PIO does not offer a reply within the standard 30-day window, or if you receive a faulty decision, a First Appeal can be logged with the First Appellate Authority (Panchayat Secretary) within 30 days.
  3. Second Appeal Filing: If the first appeal decree is missing or remains unsatisfactory, citizens can scale the issue to the State Information Commission in Thiruvananthapuram within 90 days via written mail or online portals.