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DIMAPUR — In a major push towards Right to Information (RTI) Act, Nagaland chief information commissioner, I Meyionen Jamir, on Thursday launched the hybrid mode of hearing during a programme held at the New Nagaland Commission Complex in Kohima.
Speaking at the launch event, the commissioner stressed on the importance of technology in ensuring access to justice by providing a hybrid mode hearing to all litigants for the hearing of complaints and appeals, which would be at the discretion of the applicants/ appellants. It would also provide e-filling of complaints and appeals in a streamlined manner to every litigant, stated a DIPR report.
It mentioned that Nagaland Information Commission has now two studios for conducting virtual/ online hearing of appeal and complaints through video conferencing, which would facilitate applicants, appellants, complainants especially from the remote areas to participate in the hearing at the comfort of their homes without the need of traveling to Kohima or Nagaland Information Commission.
It stated that the applicants would also 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. Besides, applicants would have the freedom to utilise the video conference studios, which are readily available in the office of the National Information Centre (NIC) in all the district headquarters.
It stated that under the direction of the Supreme Court order, a facility for online filling of second appeal and complaints to the commission is now made available under the e-service portal (previously known as e-district project) by registering in the portal at http://service.nagaland.gov.in.
It informed that the commission has also compiled the e-mail and mobile numbers of the FAA, PIO and APIO of all the public authorities in the state. It would give alerts to the FAA and the PIO and as when second appeal 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, it added.
Mentioning that the above facilities are now available in the commission, it stated that the citizens have the option to choose physical or virtual mode. However, it made clear that the physical filing of second appeals and complaints are not done away with but continue to exist along with the virtual mode.
Report further stated that the virtual hearing of the second appeal with the office of deputy commissioner, Zunheboto, facilitated the launch of the hybrid hearing in Nagaland.