NGO Files Petition Before State CIC Alleging Non-Compliance of RTI Act’s Proactive Disclosure Clause by Maharashtra Government Departments

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X:@vivekbhavsar

Mumbai: A legal representation has been filed before the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of Maharashtra and all other Information Commissioners across the state by Bar. Vinod Tiwari, National President of Council for Protection of Rights – Grahak Bharti, an NGO working in the public interest. The petition draws urgent attention to the “casual and non-compliant” implementation of Section 4(1)(b) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 by various government departments, semi-government bodies, and public sector undertakings in Maharashtra.

The petition highlights the statutory obligation of every public authority to proactively disclose 17 categories of information/manuals under Section 4(1)(b) of the RTI Act within 120 days of the law’s enactment. However, it alleges that this mandate has been neglected, with most department websites displaying either scanty or outdated information, in violation of the law.

“This lack of timely updates not only breaches the RTI Act but also leads to a significant increase in RTI applications, overburdening the system unnecessarily,” the petition reads. It stresses that proactive disclosure is the cornerstone of the RTI Act, intended to empower citizens and reduce dependency on formal RTI queries.

Vinod Tiwari, in his plea, urged the CIC to intervene and issue binding directions to all concerned authorities to ensure immediate and regular updates of information as per Section 4. He emphasises that the NGO’s intention is not adversarial but to support the government in upholding transparency and accountability.

The petition also calls for a personal hearing before the Chief Information Commissioner to present the matter in detail and demonstrate the bona fide intentions of the applicant.

Copies of the representation have been emailed to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and the Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department to inform them in advance.

The petitioner concluded with a willingness to assist government departments in effective implementation of the RTI provisions, calling it a necessary step in the larger public interest to uphold the dignity of the law.

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