In a big push towards Right to Information (RTI), the Nagaland Information Commission launched the Hybrid Mode of Hearing on January 18, at the New Nagaland Commission Complex, Kohima. According to DIPR, I Meyionen Jamir, Chief Information Commission launched the event.
Stressing on the importance of technology in ensuring access to justice, Jamir stated that providing a hybrid mode hearing to all litigants for the hearing of complaints and appeal which shall be at the discretion of the applicants/appellants. The aim of the newly launched mode is also to provide e-filling of complaints and appeal in a streamlined manner to every litigants.
The Nagaland Information Commission has now 2 (two) studios for conducting Virtual/online hearing of Appeal and Complaints through Video Conferencing which will facilitate applicants/ appellants/ complainants, especially from the remote areas to participate in the hearing without the need of traveling to Kohima or Nagaland Information Commission and at the comfort of their homes.
The applicants will also have the option to attend the hearings of the Commission either by physical appearance or by virtual hearing using Mobile application like Google Meet, Zoom, Cisco WebEx or Bharat VC etc.
The applicants will have the freedom to utilize the Video Conference Studios which are readily available in the office of the National Information Centre in all the District Headquarters. Further, under the direction of the Supreme Court order, a facility for online filling of second Appeal and Complaints to the Commission will be now made available under the e-service portal (previously known as e-district project) developed by registering in the portal at http://service.nagaland.gov.in.
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The Commission has further compiled the e-mail and mobile numbers of the FAA’s PIO’s and APIO’s of all the Public Authorities in the State. It will provide alerts to the FAA’s and the PIO’s and as when second Appeal and/or Complaints are filed online to the Commission on the above given portal/link. While filing online of second Appeals or Complaints, the applicant also need to upload their RTI application or first Appeal mandatorily and utmost care should be taken to file or submit to the rightful Public Authority.
According to DIPR, the facilities will be available in the Commission and the citizens have the option to choose physical or virtual mode. However, it is made clear that the physical filing of second appeals and complaints will continue to exist along with the virtual mode.
The virtual hearing of the second appeal with the office of Deputy Commissioner Zunheboto facilitated the launching of the Hybrid Hearing in Nagaland.