There are certain services that are not covered by the Karnataka Sakala Services Act that was passed in 2011. This act, now known as the Sakala act, provides guarantee of services to citizens in the Indian state of Karnataka with a stipulated time limiting to citizen related services. Some of the common public services which are to be provided within the fixed time frame as a right under the Acts, includes issuing caste, birth, marriage and domicile certificates, electric connections, voter’s card, ration cards, copies of land records, etc. 

It is not clear if an appeal can be made via Sakala or RTI when these services are not delivered in a “timely” manner. As there is no stipulated time, “timely” is subjective. Examples of such services, include, modifying the eKhata when there is a spelling or other mistake. If appeals cannot be made, then ZenC can only help to the extent of providing detailed information – the citizen may not be safeguarded from delays and bribes. 

A few questions to explore: 

How many services are not covered in the Sakala Act

Why were these not covered – because they are relatively minor services?

Is there a list of services that are not covered? 

Does an appeal via Sakala or RTI help bring accountability for these services? 

Excerpts from the Right to Public Services/ Sakala Act: 

SNIP On failure to provide the service by the designated officer within the given time or rejected to provide the service, the aggrieved person can approach the First Appellate Authority.The First Appellate Authority, after making a hearing, can accept or reject the appeal by making a written order stating the reasons for the order and intimate the same to the applicant, and can order the public servant to provide the service to the applicant.

An appeal can be made from the order of the First Appellate Authority to the Second Appellate Authority, who can either accept or reject the application, by making a written order stating the reasons for the order and intimate the same to the applicant, and can order the public servant to provide the service to the applicant or can impose penalty on the designated officer for deficiency of service without any reasonable cause, which can range from Rs. 500 to Rs. 5000 or may recommend disciplinary proceedings.The applicant may be compensated out of the penalty imposed on the officer. The appellate authorities has been granted certain powers of a Civil Court while trying a suit under Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, like production of documents and issuance of summon to the Designated officers and appellants. SNIP