Amid backlash, Tamil Nadu govt revokes RTI exemption
The Tamil Nadu government has revoked a controversial order that exempted its law and order department from the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The reversal followed significant public and political backlash, with critics arguing the order would have undermined transparency regarding police conduct.
Why it matters
This event highlights the tension between state security secrecy and the public's right to transparency in democratic governance.
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu govt withdrew on Sunday a controversial Sept 21 general order exempting the state’s law and order machinery from the purview of RTI Act after political and public backlash.The order would have blocked access to records of custodial deaths, police firing, communal clashes and security-related detentions.“Under Section 24, subsection (4) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the exemption granted to the public (law and order) department of the govt of Tamil Nadu has been withdrawn with respect to the govt order issued by the human resources management department,” electricity and law minister CTR Nirmal Kumar posted on X.The post came about an hour after the minister’s statement, explaining the rationale behind the RTI shield, failed to quell the outcry, including from TVK’s allies.The now-retracted order had sought to classify the law and order wing as an intelligence and security organisation, putting it beyond the ambit of…
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