Rajasthan Right to Hearing Act, 2012

THE RAJASTHAN RIGHT TO HEARING ACT, 2012 

(Act No. 22 of 2012) 

[Received the assent of the Governor on the 21
st
 day of May, 2012] 

An 

Act 

 to provide the right of hearing to the people within stipulated time limits and 

to provide for the matters connected therewith and incidental thereto. 
 

Be enacted by the Rajasthan State Legislature in the Sixty-third Year of the 

Republic of India, as follows:- 

1. Short title, extent and commencement. – 

(1)  This Act may be called the Rajasthan Right to Hearing Act, 2012. 

(2)  It shall extend to the whole of the State of Rajasthan. 

(3)  It shall come into force on such date, as the State Government may,  

 by notification in Official Gazette, appoint. 

2. Definition. – In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires – 

(a) “complaint” means any application made by a citizen or a group of 

 citizens to a  Public Hearing Officer for seeking any benefit or relief 

relating to any policy, programme or scheme run in the State by the State 

Government or the Central Government, or in respect of failure or delay 

in providing such benefit or relief, or regarding any matter arising out of 

failure in the functioning of, or violation of any law, policy, order, 

programme or scheme in force in the State by, a public authority but 
does not include grievance relating to the service  matters of a public 

servant, whether serving or retired, or relating to  any matter in 

which any Court or Tribunal has jurisdiction or relating  to any 

matter under Right to Information Act, 2005(Central Act No.  22 of 

2005) or services notified under the Rajasthan Guaranteed  Delivery of 

Public Services Act,2011(Act No. 23 of 2011); 

(b) "right to hearing" means an opportunity of hearing provided to the 

 citizens on a complaint within the stipulated time limit and right to 

 get information about the decision made in the hearing on the 

 complaint ; 



(c)  “Public Hearing Officer” means a Public Hearing Officer notified  under 

section 3 ; 

(d)  “Information and Facilitation Centre” means an Information and 

 Facilitation Centre, including customer care centre, call centre, help desk 

and people’s support centre established under section 5; 

(e)  “public authority” means the State Government and its departments and 

includes any authority or body or institution established or  constituted 

by or under any law made by the State Legislature and owned, controlled 

or substantially financed, directly or indirectly, by the funds provided by 

the State Government; 

(f)  “first appellate authority” means an officer or authority notified as 

 such under section 3 ; 

(g)  “second appellate authority” means an officer or authority notified 

 as such under section 3; 

(h)  “stipulated time limit” means the maximum time allowed to Public 

 Hearing Officer for providing an opportunity of hearing on a 

 complaint, or to the first appellate authority or the second appellate 

 authority for deciding an appeal, or to the aforesaid authorities for 

 informing the complainant or appellant, as the case may be, of the 

 decision on such complaint or appeal, as the case may be; 

(i)  “days” means the working days, referred to as time limit; 

(j)  “decision” means a decision taken on a complaint or appeal or 

 revision by the Public Hearing Officer or appellate authority or 

 revision authority notified under this Act and includes the information 

sent to the complainant or the appellant, as the case may be; 

(k)  “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules made under this Act; and 

(l)  “State Government” means the Government of Rajasthan. 
 

3.  Notification of Public Hearing Officers, first appellate authority, second 

appellate authority and revision authority and stipulated time limit – 

The State Government may notify from time to time, the Public Hearing 

Officer, first appellate authority, second appellate authority and revision 

authority and stipulated time limits. 
 



4.  Right to get opportunity of hearing on complaint within the stipulated 

time limit. 

(1)  The Public Hearing Officer shall provide an opportunity of hearing on a 

complaint filed under this Act within the stipulated time limit. 

(2)  The Public Hearing Officer may seek the assistance of any other officer 

or employee as he considers it necessary for the proper discharge of his 

duties under sub-section (1). 

(3)  Any officer or employee, whose assistance has been sought under sub-

section (2), shall render all assistance to the Public Hearing Officer 

seeking his assistance and for the purposes of any contravention of the 

provisions of this Act, such other officer or employee, as the case may 

be, shall be treated a Public Hearing Officer. 

(4) The stipulated time limit shall start from the date when a complaint is 

filed to the Public Hearing Officer or to a person authorized by him to 

receive the complaints. Receipt of a complaint shall be duly 

acknowledged. 

(5) The Public Hearing Officer on receipt of a complaint under sub-section 

(1) shall, within the stipulated time limit, provide an opportunity of 

hearing to the complainant and after hearing the complainant, decide the 

complaint either by accepting it or by referring it to an authority 

competent to grant the benefit or relief sought for or by suggesting an 

alternative benefit or relief available under any other law, policy, order, 

programme or scheme or by rejecting it for the reasons to be recorded in 

writing and shall communicate his decision on the complaint to the 

complainant within the stipulated time limit. 

5.  Establishment of Information and Facilitation Centre – 

(1) For the purposes of the efficient and effective redressal of grievance of 

the people and to receive complaints under this Act, the State 

Government shall establish Information and Facilitation Centers which 

may include establishment of customer care centers, call centers, help 

desks and people’s support centers. 
 

(2) The State Government may, by notification, make rules in relation to 

Information and Facilitation Center. 
 



(3) Every public authority shall be responsible for the development, 

improvement, modernization and reform in redressal of grievance 

system including redressal of grievance through information technology. 

6.  Appeal – 

(1) Any person who is not provided an opportunity of hearing within the  

stipulated time limit or who is aggrieved by the decision of the Public 

Hearing Officer, may file an appeal to the first appellate authority within 

thirty days from the expiry of the stipulated time limit or from the date 

of the decision of the Public Hearing Officer: 
 

Provided that the first appellate authority may admit the appeal after the 

expiry of the period of thirty days if it is satisfied that the appellant was 

prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time. 
  

(2)  If the Public Hearing Officer does not comply with the provision of 

section 4, any person aggrieved by such non-compliance may submit 

complaint directly to the first appellate authority which shall be disposed 

of in the manner of a first appeal. 

(3)  The first appellate authority may order the Public Hearing Officer to   

provide the opportunity of hearing to the complainant within the period 

specified by it or may reject the appeal. 

(4) A second appeal against the decision of the first appellate authority shall 

lie to the second appellate authority within thirty days from the date of 

the decision of the first appellate authority: 

Provided that the second appellate authority may admit the appeal after 

the expiry of the period of thirty days if it is satisfied that the appellant 

was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time. 

(5) An aggrieved person may file an appeal directly to the second appellate 

authority, if the Public Hearing Officer does not comply with the order 

of first appellate authority under sub-section (3) or the first appellate 

authority does not dispose of the appeal within the stipulated time limits 

which shall be disposed of in the manner of a second appeal. 

(6) The second appellate authority may order the Public Hearing Officer or 

the first appellate authority or provide an opportunity of hearing to the 

complainant or dispose of the appeal, as the case may be, within the 

period specified by it or may reject the appeal. 



(7) Along with the order to provide an opportunity of hearing to the 

complainant, the second appellate authority may impose a penalty on 

Public Hearing Officer in accordance with the provisions of section 7. 

(8) The first appellate authority and second appellate authority shall, while 

deciding an appeal under this section, have the same powers as are 

vested in a civil court while trying a suit under the Code of Civil 

Procedure, 1908 (Central Act No. 5 of 1908) in respect of the following 

matters, namely :- 

(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining 

him on oath; 

(b) discovery and production of any document or other material object 

producible as evidence; 

(c) receiving evidence on affidavits; 

(d) requisitioning of any public record; 

(e) issuing commission for the examination of witnesses; 

(f) reviewing its decisions, directions and orders; and/or 

(g) any other matter which may be prescribed. 
 

7.  Penalty.- 

(1) Where the second appellate authority is of the opinion that the Public 

Hearing Officer has failed to provide an opportunity of hearing within 

the stipulated time limit without sufficient and reasonable cause, it may 

impose on him a penalty which shall not be less than five hundred 

rupees but which shall not exceed five thousand rupees: 
 

Provided that before imposing any penalty under this sub-section, the 

person on whom penalty is proposed to be imposed shall be given a 

reasonable opportunity of being heard. 
 

(2) The penalty imposed by the second appellate authority under sub-section 

(1) shall be recoverable from the salary of the Public Hearing Officers. 
 

(3) The second appellate authority, if it is satisfied that the Public Hearing 

Officer or the first appellate authority has failed to discharge the duties 

assigned to him under this Act, without assigning sufficient and 

reasonable cause, may recommend action against him under the service 

rules applicable to him. 



8. Revision – The Public Hearing Officer or first appellate authority 

aggrieved by an order of the second appellate authority in respect of 

imposing of penalty under this Act may make an application for revision 

to the officer or authority nominated by the State Government within a 

period of sixty days from the date of that order. The nominated officer or 

authority shall dispose of the application in accordance with the 

prescribed procedure: 
 

Provided that the officer or authority nominated by the State Government 

may entertain an application after the expiry of the said period of sixty 

days, if he is satisfied that the applicant was prevented by sufficient    

cause from filing the appeal in time. 

 

9. Protection of action taken in good faith.– No suit, prosecution or other 

legal proceedings shall lie against any person for anything which is done or 

intended to be done in good faith under this Act or any rules made 

thereunder. 
 

10.  Bar of jurisdiction of courts.– No civil court shall have jurisdiction to 

hear, decide or deal with any question or to determine any matter which is 

by or under this Act required to be heard, decided or dealt with or to be 

determined by the Public Hearing Officer, first appellate authority, second 

appellate authority or the officer nominated by the State Government. 
 
 

11.  Provisions to be in addition to existing laws.– The provisions of this Act  

shall in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other law for the time 

being in force. 
 

12.  Power to make rules.- 

(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make 

rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. 

(2) All rules made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be, after 

they are so made, before the House of the State Legislature, while it is in 

session, for a period of not less than fourteen days, which may be 

comprised in one session or in two successive sessions and if before the 

expiry of the session in which they are so laid or of the session 

immediately following, the House of the State Legislature makes any 



modification in any such rules or resolves that any such rule should not 

be made, such rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified 

form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so however, that any such 

modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of 

anything previously done there under. 
 

13.  Removal of difficulties.– 

(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the 

State Government may, by an order published in the Official Gazette, do 

anything, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, which appears to it 

to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty: 

Provided that no order under this section shall be made after the expiry of 

two years from the commencement of this Act. 
 

(2) Every order made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be, 

after it is so made, before the House of the State Legislature. 

 

 Prakash Gupta 

 Principal Secretary to the Government. 

 19, Government Central Press, Jaipur. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Form 1 

FORM OF APPLICATION 

(See rule 3) 

To, 

The Public Hearing Officer, 

        ............................................ 

        ............................................. 

       (Name of the Public Hearing Officer &  

       Office Address) 
                                     

    

1. Name of the complainant:....................................................... 

2. Father's Name:....................................................................... 

3. Address:................................................................................ 

Contact No. / Mobile No…………………………….. 

4. Complaint: 

(a) Benefit or relief claimed: 

……………………………………………………………………... 

……………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………..........…... 

(Separate sheet may be attached) 

(b) Name of officer and department to which complaint relates: 

......……………………………………………………………… 

5. If documents annexed in support of complaint, details of documents: 

(i)  

(ii)  

(iii)  

6. If complaint made earlier:                                             Yes/No 

(If, yes give the name of officer/Department) 

7. Reply received on the earlier                                         Yes/No 

Complaint: 

(If yes, give details of reply) 

8. Any other information which the application may like to mention:…….. 

 



                          Date:................................. 

               Signature of  complainant 

  

(Please obtain acknowledgement of your complaint compulsorily)  

 

Form  2 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

(See rule 4) 

 

Unique Registration No...............                             Date: ………... 

1. Name of the complainant:.............................................................. 

2. No. of document annexed with complaint:………………………. 

3. Date fixed for hearing of the complaint:…………………………. 

4. Any other particular, the public Hearing Officer may like to 

mention:…………………………………………………………... 

 

Place:................................ 

Date:................................. 

 Signature of Recipient 

 Name and Designation with seal 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Form 3 

(See rule 7) 

Name of the office/department:................................................... 
 

No..........                                                         Date:……………… 

1. Name of the Public Hearing Officer.............................................. 

2. Name of the complainant:………………………………………... 

3. Reference of Unique Registration Number of the complaint and 

date:………………………………………………………………............

........................................................................................ 

4. Subject of the Complaint:…………………………………………  

5. Date of Hearing:............................................................................. 

………………………………………………………......……… 

Decision 

 Signature of Public Hearing Officer  

…………………………………………………………………………  

If the complainant aggrieved by the decision he may file an appeal within thirty 

days to the first Appellate Authority: (details of first Appellate 

Authority)…………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………… 

 

 Signature of Public Hearing Officer 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Form 4 

INFORMATION RELATING TO HEARING UNDER 

THE RAJASTHAN RIGHT TO HEARING ACT, 2012 

(See  rule 8) 

 

Name of the Public Hearing Officer:............................................................. 

Office Address:............................................................................................ 

 

1 Name of the person  

authorised to receive the  

application 

: 

………………………………………

………………………………………

……… 

2 Days fix for hearing the 

complaint 
: Days ……………………. 

3 Stipulated time limit for 

disposal of complaint 
:  

4 Time limit for filing the first 

appeal 
: Within thirty days from the expiry 

of stipulated time limit or from the 

date of decision. 

5 Time limit for filing the second 

appeal 
: Within thirty days from the date of 

decision of the first Appellate 

Authority. 

6 Name and Address of the first 

Appellate Authority 
: ……………………………………

……………………………………

…………… 

7 Name and Address of the 

second Appellate Authority 
: ……………………………………

……………………………………

…………… 

8 Time limit of communication 

of the decision on the 

complaint 

:  

 

  

Note: Please obtain acknowledgement of your application    

                     Compulsorily. 

 

 

Signature of Public Hearing Officer 



Form-5 

FORM OF REGISTER TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE OFFICE OF 

DESIGNATED PUBLIC HEARING OFFICER 

(See rule 19) 

Name of the office of Public Hearing officer:.................................................. 

                         Month..........                                                          Year……………   

S. 

No

. 

Unique 

Reg. 

No. 

Date of 

receipt 

of com- 

plaint 

Name 

& 

Address 

of the 

Appli- 

cant 

Subject 

of the 

Com- 

plaint 

Last date 

of the 

stipulated 

time limit 

Appli- 

cation 

allowed/ 

disallo- 

wed/ 

Transfer 

to other 

PHO 

Date 

and 

details 

of the 

order 

passed 

date of 

decis-

ion 

Date of 

intimation 

the 

decision 

sent to the 

applicant 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

          

          

          

          

          

          

          

          

          

          

                                         

Form-6 

FORM OF REGISTER TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE OFFICE OF 

FIRST APPEAL AUTHORITY  

(See rule 19) 

Name of the office of the first Appellate Authority:……………………. 

S. 

No

. 

Date 

of 

filing 

first 

appeal 

Unique 

Reg. 

No. of 

complaint 

Name & 

Address 

of 

appellant 

Name & 

Address 

of the 

PHO 

 

Last date 

of the 

stipulated 

time limit 

Appeal 

accepted/ 

rejected 

Date of 

Decision 

date of 

intimation 

the decision 

sent to the 

appellant 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

         

         

         



         

         

         

         

         

         

 

 

Form-7 

(See rule 19) 

FORM OF REGISTER TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE OFFICE OF 

SECOND APPELLATE AUTHORITY 

Name of the office of the second Appellate Authority:....................................... 

S. 

No

. 

Date 

of 

filing 

second 

appeal 

Unique 

Reg. No. 

of 

complaint 

Name & 

Address 

of 

appellant 

Name & 

address 

of the 

PHO/ 

first 

Appellate 

Authority 

 

 

Appeal 

accepted/ 

rejected 

Penalty 

(if any) 

Rs. 

Date of 

decision 

Date of 

intimation 

the decision 

sent to the 

appellant 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

         

         

         

         

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

FORM-8 

FORM OF REGISTER TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE OFFICE OF 

REVISION AUTHORITY 

(See rule 19) 

Name and address of the office of the Revision Authority………….. 

  

 

 [No. F. 13(1) AR&C/Gr.I/2012] By Order of the Governor, 

MkW- vkj-ih-tSu] 

Principal Secretary to the Government. 

 

 

 

 

S. 

No

. 

Date of 

filing 

the 

revision 

Unique 

Reg. No. 

of 

complaint 

Name & 

address 

of applic- 

ant at 

revision 

Name & 

address of 

the PHO/ 

first 

Appellate 

Authority 

 

 

Revision 

accepted/ 

rejected 

Penalty 

(if any) 

Rs. 

Date of 

Decision 

Date of 

intimation 

the decision 

sent 

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9