The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the nodal agency for the implementation of the RTI Act has proposed a series of amendments to the RTI (regulation of fee and cost) Rules 2005 and the Central Information Commission (Appeal Procedure) Rules, 2005. Specifically, the amendments seek to restrict the number of words that an applicant can use while filing an information request under the RTI Act 2005. The word limit has been posted at 250. In addition, to curbing the word limit, the new rules also seek to restrict the questions filed under an RTI to one subject. The DoPT has circulated the draft amendments for comments and individuals can write in to [email protected] by December 27, 2010. RTI activists have strongly protested the proposed amendments which if implemented would severely curb and restrict citizens access to information under the RTI Act. Activists believe that the restriction of the word count would pose a major problem to illiterate and vulnerable groups for whom the RTI has proved to a be very useful tool and have pointed to the danger of the arbitrary rejection of applications based on the word limit. Most recently, the National Advisory Council has come out against the amendments terming them “ultra vries”. The NAC working group on transparency, accountability and governance has rejected the proposed amendments and has passed a resolution stating that “All amendments to RTI rules must be based on extensive public consultations. Where public objections or suggestions are ignored, reasons must be made public, in accordance with letter and spirit of Section 4(1)(d) of the RTI Act.”