The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has issued new internal guidelines to ensure the timely disposal of RTI applications and appeals, in strict compliance with the RTI Act, 2005. The move comes after the First Appellate Authority (FAA) noted several instances of delayed responses, including appeals that were pending beyond the prescribed 45-day timeline. This notice was issued on September 22, 2025.
To address these delays, a meeting was held on August 28, 2025, during which a series of instructions were finalized for all divisions and officers at CDSCO Headquarters. The new timelines are designed to streamline the internal process and hold officials accountable for any lapses.
The following instructions have been issued:
- Non-Pertinent RTI Applications: Divisions must forward any RTI applications that do not pertain to their work to the correct division or department within two days via the RTI-MIS Portal.
- Partially Related RTI Applications: If an application is only partially related to a division, the division head or DPIO must submit their part of the reply to the CPIO within seven days.
- Fully Related RTI Applications: For applications that are fully related to a single division, the division head or DPIO must submit a complete reply to the CPIO within 15 days.
- RTI Appeals: For appeals that involve multiple divisions, the reply must be submitted to the RTI Cell within two days. If a single division handled the original application, the appeal reply must be submitted within seven days.
- Additional Comments from FAA: If the FAA requests additional comments from a division that did not respond to the original application, the division head must provide a response within two days.
- Second Appeals: For second appeals, every division head must submit their reply to the RTI Cell within two days.
The new directive emphasizes that all divisions must comply with these instructions to avoid delays. Any penalties imposed by the Central Information Commission (CIC) for non-compliance will be the responsibility of the concerned DPIO or division head. Additionally, all divisions are instructed to regularly update information on the official CDSCO website under the ‘Suo-Moto’ section on a weekly basis.