Vijay govt revokes RTI exemption for law and order department after backlash

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s government on Sunday revoked its order exempting the Public (Law and Order) Department from the Right to Information (RTI) Act, hours after the move triggered criticism from the Opposition and CPM, an ally of the ruling TVK.The Human Resources Management Department issued a fresh order, saying the exemption measure issued on September 21 under Section 24(4) of the RTI Act, “stood revoked”. The earlier order had classified the Public (Law and Order) Department as an intelligence and security organisation, bringing it under the RTI exemption. The department handles matters including communal and caste clashes, political agitations, preventive detention, custodial deaths and allegations of police torture. Under Section 24 of the RTI Act, intelligence and security organisations specified by the government can be exempted from the law, subject to limited exceptions, including information relating to corruption and human rights violations.