The gaps in the implementation of the RTI Act, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The Right to Information (RTI) Act has completed 21 years, emphasizing citizen empowerment and mandatory suo motu disclosure by public authorities.
• Section 4(1)(b) of the Act mandates public authorities to proactively disclose 16 types of information on their websites.
• In 2024-25, only 62.7% (1,446 out of 2,303) of registered Public Authorities submitted mandatory third-party transparency audit reports to the Central Information Commission (CIC).
• Over 50% of the submitted audit reports scored Grade C or below, indicating less than 80% compliance with transparency norms.
• An independent verification of 94 department websites found only 33 had the latest 2024-25 audit reports, and 26 lacked information mandated by the Act.

Detailed Insights:

• The Department of Personnel and Training has issued guidelines for additional voluntary disclosures beyond Section 4(1)(b), covering procurement and public-private partnerships.
• Despite a year-on-year improvement in audit report submissions, a significant portion of Public Authorities still fail to comply with this requirement.
• The low scores in transparency audits highlight a systemic issue in proactive information dissemination by government departments.
• Non-compliance with suo motu disclosure obligations leads to an increased number of RTI requests and growing pendency at the Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions.
• Effective implementation of Section 4 is crucial for enhancing governmental transparency and reducing the burden on the RTI application system.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Right to Information (RTI) Act: A law enabling citizens to access information from public authorities to promote transparency and accountability.
• Suo Motu Disclosure: The proactive and voluntary release of information by public authorities without citizens having to file specific requests.
• Central Information Commission (CIC): The apex body responsible for hearing appeals and complaints regarding information sought under the RTI Act.