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Right to Public Services Bill tabled in Meghalaya House

By Staff Correspondent - 15 Sep 2010 12:00 AM GMT

SHILLONG, Nov 5 - Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today tabled the Meghalaya Right to Public Services Bill on the first day of the Autumn Session of the Meghalaya Assembly.

The Bill aims to bring accountability and transparency in public services and also allow the public to raise the issue of liability against government servants for grievances in delivery of these services.

After the Bill is enacted, public services will be allotted time frames within which they have to be delivered. Designated officers will have to display all relevant information relating to the public services on the notice board and also upload it on the official website.

An appellate authority will hear appeals in accordance with the provisions of the proposed Act. The State will also establish a State Public Service Delivery Commission. The commission will consist of a chief commissioner appointed on the recommendation of a two-member selection committee comprising the Chief Minister and a Cabinet minister.

The commission will have the powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. It will have the power to summon and enforce attendance, demand production of evidence, receive evidence on affidavits, requisition public records, issue summons for examination of witnesses and review decisions and orders.

The commission can be approached by any person who does not receive the required service within the stipulated time period or whose application is rejected. He or she can file an appeal to the appellate authority within 30 days from the date of rejection of the application or on the expiry of the stipulated time limit.

The appeal will have to be disposed of within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of the appeal, but it cannot exceed a period of 60 days.

On receiving the complaint, the State Public Service Commission may direct the designated officer to provide the service within a specified period or may reject the appeal. The State Public Service Delivery Commission may impose a penalty on the designated officer for failure to deliver services to which the applicant is entitled, according to the Bill.