Question

Consider the following statements regarding the Kerala State Right to Service Act, 2012:

(i) If an application is rejected, the Designated Officer is required by law to provide the reasons for rejection in writing.

(ii) Appeals against the rejection of an application for service must be submitted to the First Appellate Authority within 60 days.

(iii) Services such as passport verification and the issuance of birth certificates come under the purview of the Act.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

• A. (i) മാത്രം
• B. (iii) മാത്രം
• C. (i) ഉം (iii) ഉം മാത്രം
• D. മുകളിൽ പറഞ്ഞവയെല്ലാം

Answer 1

Answer:

C. (i) ഉം (iii) ഉം മാത്രം

Kerala State Right to Service Act, 2012

• Objective of the Act: The primary objective of this Act is to eliminate delays in the delivery of government services and to ensure transparency.

• Rejection of Application (Statement i): The Act stipulates that if an application for a service is rejected, the concerned official must provide the reasons for the rejection to the applicant in writing. This enables the applicant to understand the situation and take further action.

• Appeal (Statement ii): There is a time limit for filing an appeal against the rejection of an application. However, under this Act, the time limit for filing an appeal is 30 days, not 60 days. Therefore, this statement is incorrect.

• Services Covered by the Act (Statement iii): Various government services, such as passport verification, the issuance of birth and death certificates, and land-related records, fall under the purview of this Act. It grants citizens the right to avail themselves of these services within a specified timeframe.

• Key Provisions:

• Prescribed Time for Service Delivery: A specific time limit is defined in the Act for each service.

• Communication of Rejection: If an application is rejected, the reason must be communicated to the applicant in writing.

• Appeal Mechanism: A two-tier appeal system exists, comprising the First Appellate Authority and the Second Appellate Authority. Other relevant information: The implementation of this Act aims to reduce corruption and delays, and to make the administrative system more citizen-friendly. Questions regarding the constitutional and administrative aspects of this Act frequently appear in competitive examinations.