RTI at 20: The Fading Flame of Transparency

Once a citizens’ weapon against secrecy, the Right to Information now struggles for survival amid apathy, delay, and political neglect.

WHEN PARLIAMENT enacted the Right to Information (RTI) Act in 2005, India witnessed an extraordinary democratic leap. The law, inspired by Aruna Roy and the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan’s (MKSS) relentless grassroots campaign, broke through decades of bureaucratic secrecy. Ordinary citizens finally had a lawful tool to question authority — a quiet revolution that made power answerable.

For nearly ten years, dusty files opened, corruption was exposed, and governance seemed more transparent than ever. Two decades later, that bright promise has faded; the RTI now stands weakened, ignored, and perilously close to institutional collapse.

From Beacon to Burnout

As India marked twenty years of the RTI on October 12, 2025, the law’s vitality has visibly ebbed. Once hailed as a “people’s weapon,” the system now creaks under official indifference. By June 30, 2024, more than 4.05 lakh appeals and complaints were pending across 29 Information Commissions.

Maharashtra alone accounted for 1.08 lakh cases, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. Several commissions remain headless or semi-functional, openly defying the Act’s 30-day response rule. What began as a framework for instant access to information has become an exercise in futility.

A nationwide assessment has shown that seven state commissions were completely dormant for long stretches, while others dismissed around 40 per cent of appeals without hearing them. Less than five per cent of proven violations invite penalties.

In some states, at the current disposal pace, the backlog will take over 20 years to clear. The core of the Act — proactive disclosure under Section 4 — has been nearly forgotten. This steady corrosion is not accidental; it reflects a pattern of systematic neglect.

The RTI movement has also exacted a tragic human toll. Since 2005, over a hundred activists have been murdered, and many others attacked or harassed — their only offence being that they asked uncomfortable questions. Each attack sends a chilling message: transparency can be fatal. The absence of state protection has fostered fear, not freedom.

Governance and Political Apathy

The crisis is not merely administrative; it is also political. Of 165 sanctioned positions for Chief and Information Commissioners, over 40 remain vacant. States such as Jharkhand, Tripura, Telangana, and Goa have functioned for months without a single commissioner.

Starved of resources and filled through opaque appointments, most commissions have lost their autonomy. What was once envisioned as an independent people’s tribunal has been reduced to a bureaucratic ritual, stripped of its watchdog teeth.

At the operational level, Public Information Officers (PIOs) have become a key choke point. Many refuse to accept applications, send evasive replies, or simply ignore deadlines. Though the law empowers commissions to impose fines, penalties are rarely enforced. Disobedience has become normalised, and accountability the exception.

India’s record-keeping practices remain archaic. Ministries still rely on paper trails and manual registers. PIOs frequently claim overwork or lack of training — both excuses for systemic inertia. Mandatory annual performance reports are either delayed or never submitted, symbolising a deeper malaise of administrative indifference.

The decay of the RTI reflects a larger political truth: no government likes scrutiny. Information exposes patronage networks and financial improprieties.

Successive regimes, both at the Centre and in the states, have preferred weakening the Act to empowering citizens. What began as a democratic innovation has been sacrificed to administrative convenience.

Law Diluted, Spirit Undermined

Successive amendments have slowly drained the Act’s strength. The 2019 amendment allowed the government to determine commissioners’ tenure and salaries, compromising their independence. Meanwhile, judicial interpretations have broadened the “personal information” and “national security” exemptions, shrinking public access.

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act has further blurred the line between privacy and transparency — a convenient shield for bureaucratic secrecy. The state now protects itself more than citizens’ rights.

The judiciary’s role, too, has been inconsistent. Some courts have reinforced citizens’ right to know, while others have expanded exemptions or dismissed appeals on minor procedural lapses. For many applicants, the process has turned into an exhausting maze rather than an avenue of justice.

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur recently warned that unless urgent steps are taken, the RTI could face “virtual extinction” within a few years.

He called out the deliberate failure to appoint commissioners, noting that “Kamzor karte karte logon ko appoint nahin kiya ja raha hai.” His words underline the gravity of the crisis: the law may not be repealed, but it is being allowed to die through neglect.

Rekindling the Spirit of 2005

Yet revival is still possible — provided that the government recognises transparency as a pillar of democracy, not a threat to it. All vacancies in the Central and State Commissions must be filled promptly and through a transparent, merit-based process. Penalties must be enforced rigorously against officials who defy the law.

Section 4’s proactive disclosure provision must be revitalised and audited, ensuring that essential data — budgets, tenders, and decisions — are automatically placed in the public domain. And above all, whistle-blowers and RTI activists must be protected by law and by police action.

Ultimately, the RTI’s survival depends on restoring its moral and administrative strength. Technology, training, and transparency must converge to rebuild what indifference has eroded. If implemented earnestly, these measures can rekindle the fading spirit of 2005 — when citizens first realised that democracy was not a spectator sport, but a right exercised through information.

Twenty years on, the RTI stands at a defining moment. It can either be revived through political will or left to fade into irrelevance. Ironically, the same state that once celebrated this landmark law now oversees its slow demise.

The RTI was India’s boldest experiment in participatory democracy — sunlight in a system accustomed to shadows. Today, that sunlight flickers weakly, awaiting revival by the same citizens who first ignited it.

________
Also Read:
The Quiet Collapse of Tolerance

Edelweiss, Common Sense Is No Monopoly of Your Lawyers

Disclaimer : PunjabTodayNews.com and other platforms of the Punjab Today group strive to include views and opinions from across the entire spectrum, but by no means do we agree with everything we publish. Our efforts and editorial choices consistently underscore our authors’ right to the freedom of speech. However, it should be clear to all readers that individual authors are responsible for the information, ideas or opinions in their articles, and very often, these do not reflect the views of PunjabTodayNews.com or other platforms of the group. Punjab Today does not assume any responsibility or liability for the views of authors whose work appears here.

Punjab Today believes in serious, engaging, narrative journalism at a time when mainstream media houses seem to have given up on long-form writing and news television has blurred or altogether erased the lines between news and slapstick entertainment. We at Punjab Today believe that readers such as yourself appreciate cerebral journalism, and would like you to hold us against the best international industry standards. Brickbats are welcome even more than bouquets, though an occasional pat on the back is always encouraging. Good journalism can be a lifeline in these uncertain times worldwide. You can support us in myriad ways. To begin with, by spreading word about us and forwarding this reportage. Stay engaged.

— Team PT