Karnataka govt withdraws missive seeking list of applicants who file frequent RTIs

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has pulled out the contentious missive seeking the names of those people who file RTI applications frequently in the southern state.

The Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department has withdrawn the directive issued on June 6 that asked for the list of those who apply more frequently under the Right to Information Act.

On June 6, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms had issued an instruction to provide the list of applicants often using the Right to Information Act. The move raised concerns as people felt the government was going to control the power of the public under the Right to Information Act. There was also a suspicion that this move of the government was intended to suppress the RTI applicants.

Munish Moudgil, Principal Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, has written a letter to all Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries in this regard. "The Government of Karnataka is committed from its heart and soul to implementing and enforcing the Right to Information Act in a democratic and legislative manner. All the officers and staff of the government have to comply with the Right to Information Act 2005," the letter read.

Under the Right to Information Act, no one else is allowed to get information about the applicant who has requested the right to information. All citizens have a statutory right to get information freely as per the Right to Information Act," Moudgil clarified.

Recently, the Under Secretary to the Government of Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department (Training and Right to Information Branch) had requested through a letter to provide information about the applicants who file applications under RTI without obtaining any permission or order from the Government. The letter was withdrawn with immediate effect as it was issued without any permission or notice from the government, Moudgil said.