RTI to Now Have a Third Gender Field for Online Applications

New Delhi: Transgenders can now mention themselves as "third gender" while seeking information on governance related matters through online RTI application through the website.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has introduced a field -- third gender -- other than male and female on the RTI portal.

"The field 'third gender' has been introduced on the website allowing transgenders to give detail of their identity while filing RTI applications online. Though it is not a mandatory field but it will help the government in collecting data on different categories of people filing queries under the transparency law," a DoPT official said.

The move assumes significance as Supreme Court had last year, in a landmark verdict, given recognition to transgenders as the third gender. It had then also asked governments to grant them all facilities including a voter ID, passport and driving licence, among others.

The apex court had also directed the Centre and states to take steps for bringing the community into the mainstream by providing adequate healthcare, education and employment.

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The website--www.rtionline.gov.in-- was launched in 2013 to enable citizens to file RTI applications online.

The Centre's flagship Right to Information Act, which was enacted in 2005, mandates timely response to citizen's request for government information.

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One has to pay a fee of Rs 10 for seeking information. The portal also helps an RTI applicant and appellant to see the status of his application and appeal.

An information seeker is allowed to submit a fee of Rs 10, towards cost of information, via internet banking or through SBI and its associated banks. People can also use credit, debit and RuPay cards to make payment on the website.