Disregard to RTI Act

#Disregard to RTI Act.

The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 was enacted to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance by empowering citizens to seek information from public authorities. 

When a citizen inquires about the reason for his name being deleted from the voter’s list, it is a legitimate request for information that directly affects their democratic right to vote. Such a query cannot be dismissed by hiding behind technicalities or by quoting irrelevant definitions from the Act. 

The Public Information Officer (PIO) has a statutory duty to provide a clear and factual response, such as the official reason for deletion or the authority responsible for the action. By refusing to give this information, the officer has not only denied the citizen’s right but also shown disregard for the principles of transparency that the RTI Act upholds.

The  kind of misleading response represents a growing trend of bureaucratic evasion that weakens the RTI framework. The officer’s answer is not only evasive but also reflects ignorance or deliberate distortion of the law. 

The RTI Act never intended to allow officers to hide information by citing procedural loopholes; instead, it obligates them to assist applicants in obtaining the correct information. The citizen’s question clearly pertains to a government record, namely, the voter list and hence falls squarely within the Act’s purview. Such misuse of authority warrants disciplinary action, as it discourages public participation and erodes faith in democratic institutions. 

To preserve the sanctity of the RTI Act, erring officials who misuse their position to deny rightful information must be held accountable under the provisions of the law.

An inappropriate reply given by the Panchayat Secretary clearly undermines the very spirit and purpose of the Right to Information (RTI).

-K A Solaman