The RTI Act, enacted in June 2005 by the UPA government, was a landmark in India’s democratic journey, empowering citizens to hold power to account. As the law completes 20 years, it has lost much of its potency and is facing an existential challenge. The law has been rendered powerless through amendments by the government, efforts to stall its functioning, and a refusal to provide it with the necessary infrastructure and resources.
Many State and Central Information Commissions suffer from large backlogs and vacant positions, causing delays of several months or even years in hearing appeals, resulting in citizens losing faith in the system and seeing less value in pursuing RTI applications and queries. Despite repeated attempts by the Supreme Court, the Union government has shown scant urgency in filling posts at the CIC and State Commissions.
There are reports that citizens seeking information under the law are being attacked and even activists have been killed. The shrinking and progressive neutralisation of this law is part of a larger pattern, where democratic institutions and the foundational ideas of transparency and openness in governance are being systematically undermined.
