‘Transparency key, RTI petitions & replies must be accessible online'
Maharashtra State Information Commission
(SIC) directed all public authorities in the state to proactively disclose all Right to Information (RTI) applications received and the replies provided on their respective websites. The directive, issued under Sections 19(8)(a)(iii) and 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005, by the State Chief Information Commissioner Rahul Pande, also mandates that the disclosed data be made searchable using keywords to ensure easy access for citizens.
Citing the growing number of RTI applications and appeals pending across various SIC benches and the burden they place on public authorities, Pande stressed the need for institutional reforms to promote voluntary disclosure. "If RTI replies are uploaded in the public domain and made searchable, citizens would not need to file repeated applications for the same information," he stated in the official order.
The commission observed that several departments face mounting workloads due to frequent and often repetitive RTI requests. It noted that many of these could be avoided if earlier replies were readily available in the public domain. "Excluding exempted matters, if information is kept in a searchable public database, it will greatly reduce redundancy," the order said.
The commission also recalled an earlier circular issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) of the Central Govt in April 2013, which instructed all public authorities to publish RTI applications, responses, and appeals proactively. "The intent of Section 4 is to reduce the necessity of filing individual RTI applications by increasing transparency in public offices," the DoPT circular noted.
Pande emphasized the preamble of the RTI Act, which envisions empowering citizens, promoting transparency and accountability, and reducing corruption by making govt functioning more open. "To operationalise this vision, all public authorities must ensure that information under the RTI Act — barring exempted items — is accessible without the need for formal applications," he directed.
The directive requires all departments to publish RTI data along with keyword-based search options on their websites, allowing citizens to find information efficiently. The chief secretary has been asked to circulate the directive across all govt departments for immediate compliance. With this move, the SIC aims to strengthen the foundational principles of democratic accountability and citizen empowerment.
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Behind that grandstanding though, Sarma's fear of voter attention flipping back to the issue of corruption was palpable. He soon pivoted again, returning to the 'Bangladeshi' issue. Hours after Gandhi left Assam, the state saw a 19-year-old boy from an evicted family shot dead by police. Instead of mourning the tragedy faced by his family, Sarma, also a father, was seen politicising it instead. Taking to X on July 17, he said, 'Emboldened by his [Rahul Gandhi's] reckless words, today a violent mob attacked our police and forest personnel while attempting to forcefully encroach upon the Paikan Reserve Forest. In the line of duty, 21 brave police officers and forest guards suffered grievous injuries.' He said that left with no choice, the police had to open fire to restore order, leading to the death of one encroacher. He added, 'This is the direct legacy of Rahul Gandhi's one-day visit to Assam. His irresponsible rhetoric had directly endangered lives and disrupted peace in the state. The people of Assam will neither forget nor forgive this betrayal.' Sarma later said at a press meet, 'Yesterday, in Guwahati, Rahul Gandhi and Kharge ji incited land jihadis. Today, these very people began to physically assault Assam Police.' Till now, 10 persons have been arrested on charge of committing arson. The chief minister also said that the connection between what Gandhi had said against him and the violence at the eviction site would be analysed by state police, and action might be taken against Gandhi. 'For this, Rahul Gandhi may be accused and arrested.' In coming times, more drama may unfold on this front in Assam. If it does, this chapter may well be remembered for a chief minister threatening to arrest a leader of the opposition, all in an effort to shift attention away from mounting corruption allegations and retain power in an election where his return to the top post is far from guaranteed by his party's central leadership.
