THE RIGHT TO SERVICE ACT R.T.S - Khsmsa

THE RIGHT TO SERVICE ACT(R.T.S)
HISTORY : RTS
Citizen’s Charters (C.C.)- first formulated- U.K. 1991Prime Minister - John MajorFocus : publicservices towards the needsandexpectations of end-users.The program modified in1998as “ServicesFirst”
OPERATING PRINCIPLES OF C.C.
Set standards of ServiceBe open and transparentConsult and involve end-usersEncourage access and the promotion of choiceTreat all fairlyPut things right when they go wrongUse resources effectivelyInnovate and improveWork with other providers
C.C. IN OTHER COUNTRIES
Australia (Service Charter, 1997)Belgium (Public Service Users’Charter,1992)Canada(Service StandardsInitiative,1995)France(ServiceCharter,1992)Jamaica (Citizens’ charter, 1994)Malaysia (Client Charter, 1993)Portugal(TheQuality Charter in Public Services,1993)Spain (The QualityObservatory,1992).
Citizen’s Charters in India
First inIndia in1994 - Charter for Health Service Providers by Consumer Rights activists - in Central ConsumerProtectionCouncil meeting, Delhi.1996:the PrimeMinister - theCitizen’sCharters programonnationallevel.
Citizen’s Charters in Indiacontd
May 1997 - Conferenceof ChiefMinisters- adopted“Action Planfor Effective andResponsive Governmentat theCentre andthe State Levels”Formulated Chartersamong ministries,departments andagencieswithpublic interaction.
Expected Components in ChartersBased on the UK model by DARPG
Visionand mission statementsDetails of businesstransacted bythe organizationDetails of clientsDetails of services providedDetailsof grievanceredress mechanisms & accessibilityExpectations from clients
Citizen’s Charters in India: CurrentStatus
DARPG website : charters drafted byvarious governmentagenciesCentralGovernment:118State Government & Union Territories : 711
Components of Citizen’s Charters inKarnatakabyThePublic Affairs Centre (PAC)
Basicinformation about the departmentStandards of servicesGrievance redress systemCitizen-friendly criteria
CITIZEN CHARTER IN KERALA
PanchayatiRaj ActMuncipalitiesAct, Sec.563 –AOmbudusmanfor L.G.IOfficial website & publication of C.C.
RIGHT TO SERVICE ACTS IN INDIA
1stimplemented -Madyapradesh, 2010 Aug – 26deptsPunjab : Oct,20th, 2011Bihar: August 15Uttarakhand, October 4, 2011Delhi, April 28, 2011Himachal Pradesh:October,17, 2011Jharkhand:Nov.15, 2011Rajasthan, Sept. 21, 2011U.P : January 11, 2011Chattisgarh: Dec.12,2011J&K : April, 2011Karnataka : April 2, 2012Kerala: 2012, July 30thPassed
Central RTS Act
The Citizens Right toGrievencesRedressal Bill, 2011. presented inLokSabha
The Kerala StateRight to Service Act,2012
Government’s one hundred days’ Programme
to enact a legislation to create asystemin whichthe general public can make theGovernment servants answerableto their functions, duties, commitments and obligations.to make themawareof the rights, obligations and entitlements.
Statement of Object & Reasons
Good governanceessential for sustainable development, both economic and social arena of public life.Three essential elements of good governanceTransparency,Accountability andresponsiveness of the administration.
Object & Reasons
To provide for-The effective andtime bound redressal of grievancesof citizens and- For time bounddelivery of servicesto the general public and- For theliabilityof the defaulted Govt. Servants.
Service 2(g)
Service to be provided by any law or Government ordersto the general public- by any Department or- Local Self Government Institution or- State Public Sector Undertaking or-Notified Statutory Body
Notification of Services, stipulated time limit & designated officer (Sec.3)
All Govt. Department, Head of Department, Local Self Government Institution and Statutory body shallwithin six months of the Act,Notify - Services that will be rendered with - stipulated time limit- Designated officers,-1st& 2ndAppellate Authority
Right to obtain services(Sec.4)
Everyeligible personhave therighttonotified serviceswithin thestipulated time limit.
Officers under the Act
Designated officer: Officer designated to provide the services. 2(a)First Appellate Authority:officer notified 2(c)Second Appellate Authority:2(h)
Duty of the Designated Officer (Sec.5)
Onreceipt of an application - within the stipulated time limitprovide the service orreject the application.On rejection - state the reasons in writing and intimate it to the applicant.Application to be duly acknowledged - by D.O. orauthorisedofficer
1stAppeal(Sec.6)
Onnon receipt or rejection- Appeal to the First Appellate Authority (F.A.A.), within 30 days(delay condonation)with prescribed fee.F.A.A may directto provide service within a specified period ormay reject the appeal.Disposal of Appeal –within a period equivalent the stipulated time limit.
Second appeal
Aggrieved person can appeal to theSecond Appellate Authoritywithin 60 days (condone delay) with feeDirections:to provide the service within a specified period ormay reject the appeal.impose penaltywithin a period equivalent to the stipulated time limit.
Application to Second Appellate Authority
Any person aggrievedby a decision of the First Appellate Authority.Designated officer’s non compliance of First Appellate Authority’s direction.Designated officer’s non compliance of Second Appellate Authority’s direction.
Procedure in Appeal(Sec.7)
Both Appellate AuthorityPowers ofCivil Court(a) requiring theproduction and inspectionof documents ;(b) issuingsummonsfor hearing the designated officer and the appellant; and(c) any other matter prescribed
PENALTY
DDB & SR
Protection of action taken in good faith(Sec.9)
Suit, prosecution or otherlegal proceedingwill not lieagainst any person or officerfor anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or any rule madethereunder.
Bar of jurisdiction of Civil Courts(Sec.10)
No civil court shall entertainanysuit, application or other proceeding in respect ofany order issuedunder this Actandno such order shall be called in questionotherwise than by way of an appeal under this Act.
Kerala Police & RTSNotification No. C5/84837/2012/PHQ dated 28-12-2012
Curtsey to Adv. D.B Binu
COCHIN CHAMBER OF LAWYERS,PROVIDENCE ROADKOCHI-18, MOB:[email protected]: http://indiancitizens.org/