India’s Right to Information (RTI) Act has completed 21 years since it came into force in October 2005. A new report has flagged a large backlog in the country’s information commissions.
According to the report released by transparency-focused civil society group Satark Nagrik Sangathan, a total of 3.85 lakh complaints and appeals were pending across 28 information commissions as of June 30.
The report also noted that nine commissions returned 37,701 complaints without issuing any order. The Central Information Commission returned 14,603 complaints, while the Maharashtra State Information Commission returned 14,140. Bihar returned 4,417 complaints and Gujarat returned 3,276.
It added that five states did not provide data on how many complaints and appeals were returned. Fourteen information commissions take a year or more to dispose of cases, and in Tripura, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, complainants may have to wait more than 18 years for resolution. The report further said 95% of appeals returned by the Central Information Commission are not refiled.
