Maharashtra sees 18% drop in RTI cases; 'brazenness of officials not giving info' main reason

As per the annual report submitted by the state information commission, Maharashtra saw a drastic fall in the number of RTI applications filed in 2016. The number stood at 6,84,281 in 2016 as compared to 8,38,818 applications filed in 2015.

Explaining the drop of almost 18 per cent, former central information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said, "Authorities not submitting their reports and people not filing applications because public information officials have turned brazen in not giving information could be the reason for the drop besides vacancy. The suo motu disclosure has not shown any visible difference for people to have not filed RTI applications. This is also the thing with the central information commission. The count is never really reflective of the actual applications filed."

Of these, second appeals filed with the commission stood at 42,415. The commission takes those that did not reach the commission stage as applications that received the information they had sought. The number of people who were penalised stood at 595 with Rs 53,63,750 as the total penalty amount. The transparency Act is one of the few which has penal provisions and disciplinary action. Disciplinary action was recommended in 190 cases.

"Compliance, however, is poor. Also, it is not the right way to assume that people got information. A lot of people are still unaware or may not have gone beyond the first appeal stage feeling dejected," added Gandhi.

Of all the departments, the maximum RTI applications were filed with the Urban Development Department which has the most local-level and planning bodies under it. This was followed by the Revenue Department which deals with land gram vikas. "Reduction of applications does not mean that information is being provided. The PIOs and authorities are increasingly not providing information. Details of land records not being available suo motu is the biggest corruption issue," said Bhaskar Prabhu, an RTI activist.