RTI Act is a people-centric and powerful law, says Information Commissioner B. Venkat Singh

Describing the Right to Information (RTI) Act as a people-centric and powerful legislation, Karnataka State Information Commissioner (Kalaburagi Bench) B. Venkat Singh said the Act plays a crucial role in ensuring transparency in governance and serves both as a protection and a caution for public servants.

He was addressing district-level officers and Public Information Officers (PIOs) of various departments after inaugurating a workshop and interactive session on the RTI Act organised at the district administration auditorium in Koppal on February 21.

Mr. Singh said the primary objective of the RTI Act is to enable public participation in governance. The Act provides citizens with the right to seek information about government schemes and functioning, thereby strengthening transparency and accountability. Although the Act has been in force for nearly two decades, many officials still lack adequate clarity about its implementation, he observed, stressing the need to circulate RTI manuals and reference books to officers at district, taluk, and gram panchayat levels.

Providing statistics on the functioning of the Kalaburagi Bench, he said that since its establishment, 16,640 cases had been registered, of which 10,423 had been disposed of. In the three months since he assumed office, 1,400 cases had been heard and 605 disposed of. A total of 6,655 cases are still pending, including 764 from Koppal district. He added that second appeals, which earlier required applicants to travel to Bengaluru, can now be filed at the Kalaburagi Bench from February onwards, benefiting people from all seven districts of Kalyana Karnataka.

State Information Commissioner (Bengaluru Bench) Harish Kumar described the RTI Act as one of the most revolutionary laws enacted in independent India. Access to information relating to government schemes and benefits is a fundamental right of every citizen, he said, noting that Karnataka was the first State to implement the RTI Act after it came into force on October 5, 2005.

He urged officials not to fear the Act but to understand it clearly. Public Information Officers must ensure that information is provided within the stipulated time frame. He noted that a significant number of RTI applications relate to the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Revenue, and Public Works Departments, with nearly 30% concerning gram panchayats.

Another State Information Commissioner, Badruddin K., advised officials to handle RTI applications with confidence and clarity. He stressed that transparency naturally fosters confidence and urged departments to proactively upload information under Sections 4(1)(a) and 4(1)(b) of the Act on their websites to reduce workload and improve efficiency. Applications should be disposed of well within the 30-day limit to avoid unnecessary pressure, he said.

Deputy Commissioner Suresh B. Itnal said the RTI Act has helped correct administrative lapses and improve transparency. He directed all offices to promptly dispose of RTI applications and display boards indicating the names of Public Information Officers and First Appellate Authorities.