A report has been lodged suggesting that RTI (Right to Information) is demanding GST for sharing the information. As there has been no tax imposition on RTI. This new demand has confused the RTI activist as well.
One RTI activist, Shobhit from Dwarka has submitted more than 1000 RTI files in around 6 years. Even after GST implementation in July, he has filed many RTIs and received the replies as well, but this time DDA (Delhi Development Authority) demanded GST before replying to an RTI.
Shobhit has filed an RTI to DDA on 23rd October. From them, some answers to respective RTI has been rendered to Shobhit on behalf of Delhi Development Authority, but to give the copies of bills provided by the contractor, the DDA asked for charges of photocopies. As it is common because every time photocopy charges are taken on RTI, but asking for 18% GST apart from photocopy charges has made the activist confused.
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The activist explained that, DDA charged Rs. 760 for photocopies and demanded 18 percent GST on RTI. If GST was imposed from July, then it should be charged on each RTI. In that case, all departments of RTI should be asking for 18% GST, but the department never asked for something likewise and this is the first time when the department asked to pay GST on RTI. Before this event, there was no cess and services tax on the price of photocopies. Shobhit said that he has asked for details on 352 Multi-Storey 2-Bedroom Apartments in Sector-19B Pocket-3, and in response, the government department demanded photocopy and GST charges.
