The gaps in the implementation of the RTI Act
The Right to Information (RTI) Act in India faces significant implementation gaps, particularly regarding mandatory proactive disclosures by public authorities. Recent data shows that many departments fail to conduct required transparency audits or provide adequate information to the public.
Why it matters
Transparency and accountability in governance are undermined when public authorities fail to comply with statutory disclosure requirements.
The Right to Information (RTI) Act completed 21 years today. Besides empowering citizens to demand information from public authorities, a key aspect of the RTI Act is the provision for suo motu mandatory disclosure of a variety of information on their websites so that people do not have to resort to filing requests under the Act for accessing basic information regarding any department.
The RTI’s shift to a ‘right to deny information’
Section 4 (1) (b) of the Act lists 16 types of information, ranging from contact details of officials to budgetary expenditure, which are to be made public at regular intervals. Moreover, the Department of Personnel and Training has issued guidelines for the disclosure of additional information, under eight broad categories, including information related to procurement, public-private partnerships, and all RTI applications received by each department. An analysis, however, showed that such voluntary disclosure has not been followed.
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