Sir — The Government has created various mediation cells, including the alternative dispute resolution authority etc, so that cases can be settled mutually without the parties having to go to the courts. However, certain Government departments, in response to citizens’ grievances and the Right to Information, often advise the people to approach the courts even for petty issues which can be easily resolved with the intervention of mediation centres.
On one hand, the Government asks the citizens to come forward and settle cases through mediation and not to burden the courts. And on the other, the same Government advises citizens to approach the courts. The same is the case with the RTI. The RTI Act provides for disclosure of maximum information suo motu by public authorities. However, instead of following the said provision of the Act, the public authorities often compel citizens to file RTI applications to obtain information which can easily be provided without filing the form under the RTI. The Government must re-visit these issues.