Long delays in responses undermine Telangana’s RTI framework

Those seeking information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act have been facing long delays in getting responses. The absence of a reconstituted and fully functioning Telangana State Information Commission has exacerbated the problem.

A visit to the website Telangana RTI Online shows that though it has 114 ‘Public Authorities’ (such as several tahsildars of mandals), it lacks many others.The website shows that 3,508 citizens have registered with it and filed a total of 4,806 RTI requests. Another 544 first appeals have been preferred.

The case of Md. A. Akram illustrates the current situation. He filed an RTI request in March last year seeking data on the number of cases the State government had handled concerning Indian workers employed in West Asian countries. Despite complying with a payment request of ₹150 from the government, the information sought has not been shared with him.

“There is a provision in the RTI Act that enables providing information in an electronic format. Nevertheless, I complied with their request for payment. But I am yet to receive the information,” Mr. Akram said, adding that successive governments—the previous BRS administration and the incumbent Congress-led one—failed to prioritise the establishment of a robust RTI framework.

Activists voiced concerns regarding the government’s delay in reconstituting the State Information Commission, a panel crucial for addressing second appeals and ensuring accountability. “A large number of RTI applications remain pending with the State Information Commission. The commission is like a watchdog that keeps the RTI mechanism running effectively,” an RTI activist, who sought anonymity, said, underlining the growing backlog of unresolved appeals.

Kareem Ansari, associated with the RTI portal youRTI.in, highlighted that queries filed on critical issues such as the Musi river development, demolition drives and the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) have been met with prolonged silence.

“We sought to know whether Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) had been prepared, the modalities and other related details. These queries are often transferred between departments—sometimes to the Irrigation Department and other times to a tahsildar’s office—but we received no response for two or three months. The RTI is a tool for transparency. When this transparency is lacking, it is the authorities’ responsibility to take note and implement remedial measures,” said Mr. Ansari.

An RTI request filed in February this year seeking updates on the appointment of information commissioners and a Chief Information Commissioner received a terse response: “The information related to the appointment of information commissioners will be furnished as and when the process of appointment is completed.”

Published - November 20, 2024 08:21 pm IST