By: Telangana High Court Advocate L. Swetha
The Right to Information (RTI) Act stands as one of the most empowering tools for citizens in a democracy. It was introduced to ensure transparency in governance, eliminate secrecy in administration, and make the government accountable to the people it serves. By giving citizens the right to access public information, the Act sought to strengthen participatory democracy and build public trust in governance.
However, the implementation of this landmark law is steadily weakening. Across several departments, officials are misusing or ignoring the RTI Act, turning it into a mere formality. Despite the law’s mandate to provide information within 30 days, applicants are made to wait for months. Many are forced to visit offices repeatedly, only to receive incomplete, evasive, or misleading responses.
Citizens allege that officials, often shielded by political influence, are deliberately undermining the Act to conceal corruption, irregularities, and misuse of public funds. What was once a people’s weapon against malpractice is now being blunted by bureaucratic apathy and administrative negligence.
Citizens and activists have raised serious concerns, urging the government to strictly enforce the RTI law and hold erring officers accountable. They stress that if this neglect continues, transparency and public accountability ,key pillars of democracy will collapse.
Whistle-blowers who expose corruption and irregularities face intimidation, transfers, or even physical threats. The government must enact stronger safeguards to protect them, ensuring that truth seekers and information activists can continue their fight without fear or retaliation.
“Weak enforcement of the RTI Act endangers the people’s right to know and weakens democracy itself,” says Advocate L. Swetha, calling for robust institutional mechanisms, timely responses, and punitive action against violators.
It is time for the Union government to restore the original spirit of the RTI Act ,making transparency, accountability, and openness the hallmarks of democratic governance once again.
