6 State-level RTI panels are defunct; appeals can take years to be heard: report, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• Six State Information Commissions (SICs), including Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Tripura, and Madhya Pradesh, were defunct for periods between July 1, 2024, and October 7, 2025.
• The Central Information Commission (CIC) is operating with only two Information Commissioners and nine vacancies.
• Over 4 lakh appeals and complaints were pending as of June, with Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu having the largest backlogs.
• Telangana SIC is estimated to take over 29 years to dispose of cases filed on July 1, 2025.
• The SICs and the CIC together disposed of 1.8 lakh cases in a year, while 2.4 lakh appeals were filed.

Detailed Insights:

• Many SICs and the CIC are understaffed, causing significant delays in hearing appeals under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
• The RTI Act's 20th anniversary approaches amidst concerns over the paralysis and understaffing of key bodies responsible for transparency.
• Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar's SICs are operating without their full complement of Commissioners.
• The mounting backlog of cases undermines the effectiveness of the RTI Act in ensuring government transparency and accountability.
• The CIC hears appeals against RTI responses from Union government organizations, but faces significant delays due to vacancies.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005: Legislation promoting transparency and empowering citizens to access government information.
• State Information Commission (SIC): State-level bodies that hear appeals and complaints related to RTI applications.
• Central Information Commission (CIC): The apex body that hears appeals against RTI responses from Union government organizations.