Punjab info panel raps Amritsar MC over missing 75-shop tower records : By Hillary Victor

Hindustan Times: Chandigarh: Friday, 5^th June 2026.
The Punjab State Information Commission has questioned the mechanism to tackle illegal constructions and violations of building norms

The matter arose from a right to information (RTI) application filed by Amritsar resident Om Prakash Chitkara, who sought detailed information concerning Ganpati Tower. (HT)

The Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC) has expressed serious concern over the inability of the Amritsar municipal corporation (MC) to trace official records relating to Ganpati Tower, a prominent five-storey commercial complex on Lawrence Road, while raising larger questions about the civic body’s capacity to detect and act against illegal constructions and violations of building norms.
In a strongly worded order, chief information commissioner Inderpal Singh criticised the repeated stand taken by the town planning wing of the municipal corporation that sanctioned building plans and related records could only be retrieved through general registration (GR) numbers or specific file numbers, and not through the name or address of a property.
The commission termed the explanation untenable and observed that such a position undermines the very framework of urban planning enforcement. It questioned how municipal authorities could identify unauthorised constructions or investigate violations of sanctioned building plans if basic property details were insufficient to trace official records.
The matter arose from a right to information (RTI) application filed by Amritsar resident Om Prakash Chitkara, who sought detailed information concerning Ganpati Tower. The information requested included ownership details, sanctioned building plans, parking provisions, details of any deviations from approved plans, and records of taxes collected from the property since 2007.
Despite multiple hearings spread over more than two years, the town planning wing continued to maintain that the absence of a GR number prevented retrieval of the records sought under the RTI Act.
Taking a stern view of the matter, the commission observed that if the municipal body’s argument were accepted, action against unauthorised constructions could never be initiated unless property owners themselves disclosed the relevant file numbers. Such an interpretation, the Commission noted, would be contrary to the powers vested in municipal authorities under the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, and the Punjab Building Bye-Laws, 2018, which empower the Commissioner to stop, demolish, or penalise illegal constructions.
The commission further noted that the issue transcended a single property and raised broader concerns regarding transparency, record management and enforcement of building regulations across the state.
In its latest order, the commission directed several senior officials to submit detailed sworn affidavits before the next hearing. These include the chief town planner, municipal town planners, superintendent of the licensing branch, superintendent of property tax and officials of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
The affidavits are expected to provide information regarding the availability of records, issuance of completion certificates, property tax assessments and payments, licensing records, and electricity connections associated with Ganpati Tower.
The commission has also sought details on whether legacy municipal records were digitised before the introduction of the E-Naksha portal and has asked officials to identify the custodians responsible for maintaining the relevant files over the years.
The order records that municipal authorities did not conduct any site inspection of the commercial complex, stating that no formal complaint had been received regarding the building. However, the Commission rejected this justification, pointing out that the RTI application itself had raised concerns regarding inadequate parking arrangements at the busy commercial establishment.
The commission also referred to an earlier hearing in which disciplinary action was recommended against the Superintendent of the Establishment Branch of the municipal corporation for allegedly wilfully failing to comply with directions issued by the commission.
When contacted, MC commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill said he was not aware of the matter and would examine the case.
All departments concerned have been directed to submit their reports and affidavits before the next hearing scheduled for July 8.

NTA has no clear record of NEET reform implementation, reveals RTI

India Today: New Delhi: Friday, 5^th June 2026.
Nearly two years after NEET reform recommendations, an RTI reply sought by India Today has raised questions over how much has actually been implemented, as NTA says it has no consolidated record of progress despite public claims of major reforms.

Nearly two years after a high-level committee submitted 101 recommendations to overhaul the National Testing Agency (NTA) following the NEET controversy, an RTI reply has revealed a key gap in the system: the agency does not have a consolidated, point-wise record showing what has actually been implemented.
The disclosure has raised fresh questions over how NEET reforms are being tracked, especially at a time when multiple authorities have publicly claimed that a large portion of the recommendations have already been carried out.
WHAT NTA SAID IN THE RTI REPLY
In response to an RTI query filed by India Today, the NTA said that it does not have a finalised, consolidated document that shows the implementation status of each of the 101 recommendations made by the K Radhakrishnan Committee.
The RTI reply stated, "K. Radhakrishnan Committee recommendations are under various stages of examination and implementation. The process of implementation is ongoing and involves coordination among multiple stakeholders, technical agencies, and examination authorities. A finalised and consolidated point-wise status report indicating completion of implementation of each recommendation has not been prepared as on date."
It clearly stated that a point-wise status report mapping each recommendation to its implementation stage has not been prepared.
Because such a document does not exist in the requested format, the NTA said the information could not be provided under the RTI Act.
It added, "Accordingly, the information sought is not available in the form requested. Therefore, the requested information cannot be furnished under the RTI Act, 2005."
NO CLEAR TRACKING SYSTEM
The RTI reply also indicates that there is no single public tracker or consolidated report that shows which reforms have been completed, which remain pending, and what timelines are being followed.
This includes key areas such as improvements in question paper security, systems for transport and storage of exam materials, and reforms related to computer-based or hybrid examination models.
In short, while implementation is said to be ongoing, there is no structured document available that breaks down progress item by item.
CLAIMS OF PROGRESS FROM OFFICIALS
The RTI response comes in contrast with repeated public statements from senior officials and institutions.
Former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, said that a majority of the 101 recommendations had either been implemented or were under active execution.
These reforms reportedly include Aadhaar-based biometric authentication, multi-layer frisking at exam centres, expanded CCTV surveillance, use of mobile signal jammers, state-level coordination committees, and deployment of data analytics tools to detect suspicious examination patterns.
He also noted that a gradual shift towards computer-based testing for NEET is part of the long-term reform roadmap.
Earlier, a parliamentary standing committee was reportedly informed that around 75 per cent of the recommendations had already been implemented.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has also publicly stated that around 70 per cent of the reforms have been implemented, while acknowledging that there had been a breach in the command chain and corrective steps are underway.
THE MISSING DOCUMENT
Despite these repeated claims, the RTI reply suggests that the NTA does not maintain any consolidated, publicly accessible document that matches each recommendation with its exact implementation status.
This means there is currently no official record available that clearly shows what has been completed, what is pending, and where delays exist in the reform process.
TRANSPARENCY QUESTION REMAINS
While the NTA maintains that the reform process is ongoing, the RTI response leaves an important question unanswered: If 70 to 75 per cent of the recommendations have truly been implemented, as claimed publicly, why is there still no verified, point-wise record showing exactly what has been done and what remains pending?

NMC silent on action against medical colleges flouting stipend regulations: RTIs reveal

New Indian Express: New Delhi: Friday, 5^th June 2026.
The NMC also failed to provide details of medical colleges that had paid stipends to postgraduate students but later allegedly withdrew them.

A series of RTI applications filed by Kerala-based RTI activist Dr K V Babu on the stipend issue have received evasive replies from the NMC regarding action taken against medical colleges. (Express Illustration)

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has remained silent on the action taken over the past three years against medical colleges for allegedly flouting regulations on stipends for interns and postgraduate students, a series of RTI replies have revealed.
This comes despite the Supreme Court pulling up the NMC over delays in furnishing a reply on a plea alleging that 70 per cent of medical colleges in the country do not pay stipends to MBBS interns.
What is notable is that, while the NMC has periodically issued public notices announcing action against erring medical colleges on the stipend issue, it has failed to share details when sought through RTI applications or by the apex court.
A series of RTI applications filed by Kerala-based RTI activist Dr K V Babu on the stipend issue have received evasive replies from the NMC regarding action taken against medical colleges, both government and private, for allegedly violating the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations (MSMER), 2023.
The NMC is mandated to take action against medical colleges for violations of the MSMER, 2023, which clearly state that if any regulation, including non-payment of stipends to interns and postgraduate students, is breached, several measures can be taken against the institution. These include closure or the imposition of heavy fines.
Speaking with this newspaper, Dr Babu said, “When the documents are sought under the RTI Act, the NMC is evasive. I had been repeatedly saying the NMC is for the 'ease of doing business' of medical college management and never for paying legitimate stipends to interns & PGs.”
“Though MSMER 2023 was gazetted in September 2023, there is not even a single instance of any action taken against erring medical colleges in the public domain,” he said.
The Kerala-based ophthalmologist, in an RTI application, sought information on action taken by the Boards/NMC against medical colleges for non-compliance with MSMER, 2023, from September 19, 2023, to date. However, the Commission replied on April 7, stating that the “information is not available in compiled form”.
Not satisfied with the response, Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the stipend issue for several years, filed an appeal. In its May 13 reply, the NMC again did not share the details sought and instead referred him to two earlier notices relating to action against erring medical colleges.
The NMC also failed to provide details of medical colleges that had paid stipends to postgraduate students but later allegedly withdrew them.
In its 2023 survey, the NMC shared data on 7,901 postgraduate students from 213 self-financed or private medical colleges across 19 states.
The survey found that 16 per cent of postgraduate students had to return their stipend to the college management.
However, the Commission has never identified these private medical colleges despite several RTI applications seeking the information.
“In 2023, the NMC refused to disclose the names of the medical colleges which took back the PG stipend. When asked again, the NMC CPIO says the records are not available in compiled form. However, they are simultaneously highlighting the so-called penalty of Rs 1 crore imposed on seven medical colleges for failing to submit the details in March. But they refuse to share more when details are sought,” Dr Babu said.

CIC directs railways to provide Amrit Bharat Station redevelopment records under RTI

Moneycontrol: New Delhi: Friday, 5^th June 2026.
The commission also cautioned the Public Information Officer to exercise due care while invoking exemption clauses and ensure that information is not denied without proper justification, especially in matters involving public interest and public accountability.

The CIC directed the railway authorities to provide a revised point-wise reply and furnish the requested information free of cost after severing any commercially sensitive details, if required, in accordance with the RTI Act.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the West Central Railway to furnish records related to redevelopment and construction works carried out at a railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, stating the information could not be denied under provisions relating to personal information and commercial confidence.
The directive followed a complaint seeking copies of documents concerning the redevelopment of the Narmadapuram railway station in Madhya Pradesh, including work orders, estimates, drawings, and related records under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The railway authorities had denied the information citing exemptions under Sections 8(1)(j) and 8(1)(d) of the Act.
During the hearing, the respondent railway officials submitted that the information sought was exempt from disclosure under the RTI Act. However, they voluntarily agreed to provide a revised reply to the complainant in response to the RTI application. Information Commissioner Swagat Das pulled up the railway authorities for denying the information, holding that the rejection under Section 8(1)(j), which deals with personal information, was ”misplaced and untenable” as the provision had ”no applicability in the present case”.
The commission also found that Section 8(1)(d), relating to commercial confidence, had been invoked in a ”mechanical and unjustified manner” without demonstrating how disclosure would harm the competitive position of any third party. Observing that the information sought related to redevelopment works at a railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and utilisation of public funds, the commission said such details ”squarely fall within the ambit of larger public interest”. ”The Commission takes a serious view of such casual and improper denial of information, particularly in matters involving public works and transparency in governance,” the order said.
The CIC directed the railway authorities to provide a revised point-wise reply and furnish the requested information free of cost after severing any commercially sensitive details, if required, in accordance with the RTI Act. The commission also cautioned the Public Information Officer to exercise due care while invoking exemption clauses and ensure that information is not denied without proper justification, especially in matters involving public interest and public accountability.

DEO asked to appear before State Information Commission for not providing information sought under RTI

The Hindu: Madurai: Friday, 5^th June 2026.
The State Information Commission has directed a District Educational Officer to appear before it for furnishing acceptable reasons for not providing the information sought by a petitioner under the Right to Information Act.

When P. G. Pitchaiah of Ilanji in the district submitted a petition under Right to Information Act on April 21, 2023 with the then District Educational Officer Arulanandam, the information officer, seeking copy of the documents detailing the movable properties under the custody of the Committee administering Ilanji Ramasamy Pillai Higher Secondary School between the academic years from 2017 to 2021, it was not provided.
Subsequently, Mr. Pitchaiah filed an appeal with the Chief Educational Officer Muthaiah on May 26, 2023, who too did not give any reply.
Aggrieved, the petitioner preferred the second appeal with the State Information Commission on June 27, 2023. As this petition was taken-up for inquiry on April 15 last, the State Information Commission observed as to why the fine of ₹25,000 should not be imposed on the Mr. Arulanandam, the information officer, for not providing the information sought by the petitioner. The Commission directed the DEO to appear before the Commission on June 12 to submit his explanation in black and white.
The Commission also has awarded the compensation of ₹10,000 to Mr. Pitchaiah.

Give directions to BMC and MMRDA to start online RTI portal; activist urges Chief Information Commissioner, Maharashtra

Times of India: Mumbai: Friday, 5^th June 2026.
RTI activist Anil Galgali has urged Chief Information Commissioner Rahul Pandey to issue necessary directions for the introduction of dedicated online RTI portals for BMC and MMRDA. At the moment, both these top agencies do not have any online RTI portals. Galgali said while several govt departments in Maharashtra have already adopted online RTI systems, citizens continue to face inconvenience due to the absence of comprehensive online RTI mechanisms in these two major institutions.

“The discussion focused on the current status of RTI applications, first appeals and second appeals filed before public authorities across Maharashtra, pending cases and the challenges faced by citizens in accessing information. Various measures aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability and efficiency in the RTI system were also deliberated upon. I urged him to give necessary directions for the introduction of dedicated online RTI portals for BMC and MMRDA,” Galgali said.
Galgali proposed the creation of a public database containing RTI applications, replies provided by departments, documents disclosed and decisions rendered under the RTI Act. “Such a database would reduce the need for repeated applications seeking similar information and would further strengthen transparency in governance. We also discussed concerns regarding the growing number of second appeals being filed by a single applicant in large volumes. It was observed that such cases place an additional burden on the Commission’s functioning and may impact the timely disposal of appeals filed by other citizens,” Galgali said.
Galgali said Pandey emphasised that all public authorities in the state must strictly comply with Section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005. “Pandey stated that the Commission is taking necessary steps to ensure that maximum information is made available to citizens through proactive disclosure. Effective implementation of Section 4, he noted, would significantly reduce the number of RTI applications while making governance more transparent and citizen-centric,” Galgali said.

Delhi Fire Service Faces Staff Crunch Of 1,001 Personnel, RTI Shows 523 Firemen Posts Vacant

News18: New Delhi: Thursday, 4^th June 2026.
Delhi has witnessed major fire incidents in recent months, claiming at least 45 lives this year, according to DFS records

A five-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Saket area on Saturday evening. It is feared that several people are trapped underneath. The Fire Department was alerted at 7:45 AM.
Rescue teams are currently operating at the scene and three individuals have been successfully rescued; however, it is suspected that several others remained trapped, prompting an ongoing rescue operation.
According to the Delhi Fire Service, the five-storey structure which housed various offices, was largely vacant due to it being a Saturday; the few offices that were operational had already closed down by 6:00 PM. “We have sent four fire tenders to the spot and further details are awaited," the DFS officer said.
However, when the five-storey commercial building collapsed, its debris cascaded onto adjacent structures. Specifically, rubble fell into a canteen operating within a neighboring building, where it is feared that some people may be trapped.
The Delhi Police and the Delhi Fire Service are currently on the scene, joined by the NDRF.
Delhi CM Extends Condolences
In a post on X, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta said, “Deeply concerned by the building collapse incident near Saket Metro Station. Teams from NDRF, Delhi Fire Services, “Delhi Police, DDMA, MCD, CATS and Civil Defence are carrying out rescue operations on a war footing. Every possible effort is being made to safely rescue those trapped and provide immediate assistance to the affected families."
“The situation is being closely monitored, and all concerned agencies are working in coordination. The safety and well-being of every citizen remain our highest priority," she added.

6,659 govt offices in Gujarat missing from RTI portal: State Information Commission

The Times of India: Gujarat: Thursday, 4^th June 2026.
Gujarat’s push for digital governance has hit an unexpected roadblock. The State Information Commission has found that 6,659 govt offices are missing from the state’s online RTI portal. Issuing an order, State information commissioner Nikhil Bhatt noted that this “administrative oversight” has created a digital blackout, making it impossible for citizens to select the correct authorities from the portal’s drop-down menu.

Bhatt observed, “The main reason is that nodal officers have not properly mapped the public information officers (PIOs) and first appellate authorities (FAAs) of all public authorities under their control.” This mapping failure forces citizens to misdirect applications to the Chief Minister’s Office or nodal departments, which the commission noted “tarnishes the image of the state govt” and causes “unnecessary burden” and “harassment” to applicants.
The energy and petrochemicals department leads with 1,172 unmapped offices, followed by Narmada and water resources (780), and the revenue department (610). Other major departments failing the transparency test include agriculture and farmers welfare (532), health and family welfare (485), roads and buildings (474), panchayat and rural development (454), labour and employment (393), home (361), and finance (233).
The order was issued by SIC after hearing a complaint filed by a citizen, Dikshitkumar Talpada. He had sought logs and internal movement records of his previous first appeals. He discovered that his applications were disappearing into a digital “no-man’s land”. During the hearing, it was revealed that while the state promotes an “e-Sarkar” (electronic govt) system, the backend integration with the RTI portal was broken.
Refusing to accept technical glitches as an excuse, the commission issued a 90-day ultimatum to all nodal officers to complete the mapping of every office. To modernise the process, the order recommends integrating “modern AI tools” and an “advanced search feature” to track applicant history and prevent redundant queries. The SIC has also demanded that the portal allow a single application to be directed to multiple PIOs simultaneously. Bhatt also directed nodal officers to conduct monthly reviews to ensure no office remains “off the grid”.

Why Central Information Commission slashed public officer’s salary for RTI non-disclosure : Written by Somya Tyagi

The Indian Express: New Delhi: Thursday, 4^th June 2026.
The Central Information Commission was listening to a complaint filed by a man who had not received the reply to his RTI application since past one-and-a-half years.

The Central Information Commission held that the conduct of the public information officer had hindered the effective adjudication of the matter. (AI Generated Image)

Calling out a public information officer for wasting its “valuable time, energy and resources”, the Central Information Commission (CIC) recently imposed a penalty of Rs 1,000 for hindering effective adjudication of the concerns raised by a man.
Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari was hearing a complaint filed by a man who had not received any reply to his right to information (RTI) application after passing of one-and-a-half years of filing the same online.
“The conduct of the officer concerned resulted in wastage of the valuable time, energy and resources of the commission and impeded the effective adjudication of the matter,” the June 1 order read.

The commission held that the appearance before the Central Information Commission proceedings was a statutory responsibility and could not be treated casually.

‘Delayed reply’

• The complainant filed an RTI application on July 25, 2022.
• The said application sought a clear and certified copy of the communication between the office of executive engineer and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited regarding the disconnection of electricity connections from unauthorised construction at a specific part of Naraina Village, New Delhi.
• The application also sought a clear and certified copy of the communication made between the officer concerned and Delhi Jal Board regarding the disconnection of water supply from unauthorised construction at a specific part of Naraina Village, New Delhi.
• The complainant, however, did not receive any response from the officer and hence filed a first appeal on August 24, 2022.
• The first appellate authority, by its order dated September 14, 2022, observed that, as per the assistant public information officer (APIO), the RTI application had not been received from the nodal officer of the authorities concerned and, till date, they were unable to provide the required information to the appellant.
• The RTI application received with the appeal was handed over to the APIO during the hearing, and the concerned authorities were directed to provide the information as desired in the RTI application to the complainant within 7 days.
• The complainant, aggrieved by the non-compliance of the appellate authority’s order, approached the CIC.
• During the hearing held on February 4, 2025, the complainant was present. However, it was noted that the officer concerned remained absent, and a representative had appeared on his behalf.

What happened in previous hearing
The commission observed that more than one-and-a-half years had elapsed from the date of the RTI application, and yet no reply had been given to the complainant even after the direction of the FAA.
It was also noted that the officer concerned not only did not participate in the hearing, but also his representative had not filed a proper authority letter to represent the case on his behalf, nor was he acquainted with the facts of the case.
The authority letter produced before the commission was also found to be “deficient,” having been signed by an unidentified person without disclosing his name, designation or contact details.
The commission expressed severe displeasure with the conduct of the officer for neither providing any reply nor participating in the hearing despite prior intimation. This conduct, as per the commission, “trampled” upon the citizen’s right under the RTI Act as well as showed a lack of respect towards the commission.
Consequently, the commission issued a show cause notice to the officer, directing him to explain in writing as to why action should not be initiated against them under the RTI Act for his conduct.
Following the above occurrences, on April 24, 2026, a reply was sent by the officer to the complainant through the offline mode, providing relevant answers to the questions posed. Before this reply, another reply had been sent by the officer on September 26, 2022, following the directions of the first appellate authority.
‘Busy in field inspection’
The officer in question filed a written submission dated March 7, 2025, stating that since he was “busy in field inspection on the day of hearing since morning and was not present in the office to sign the authority letter,” the authority letter was hence signed by the next most senior official present in the office.
He also apologised for the format of the authority letter and further submitted that the office of executive engineer was running with an acute shortage of engineering and ministerial staff, and hence an official who was discharging a clerical job as a “stopgap arrangement” was directed to attend the hearing.
‘Hindered effective adjudication’
The commission recorded that because the officer concerned was not present during the previous hearing and the representative deputed failed to answer basic queries regarding the status of the RTI application, the commission was deprived of effective assistance in adjudicating the matter.
It was noted by the commission that the explanation furnished by the officer did not “satisfactorily explain’ as to why no properly authorised officer, knowing the facts of the case, was assigned to represent the matter before the Commission.
The commission also pointed out that the RTI application in the present matter was filed through the online portal, but the reply to the same was furnished through offline mode instead of through the portal, and no justification had been offered for such “deviation”, thereby causing avoidable ambiguity regarding transparency of the RTI process.
The commission held that the appearance before it in proceedings under the RTI Act was a statutory responsibility and could not be treated casually, calling the conduct of the officer concerned to have resulted in the “wastage of the valuable time, energy and resources of the commission” and hindered the effective adjudication of the matter.
Considering the case to be fit for imposition of a penalty, the commission ordered an amount of Rs 1,000 to be deducted from the salary of the officer in favour of the Central Administrative Tribunal.

Transparency International Raises Concerns Over Ghana’s RTI Law Implementation

Modern Ghana: Ghana: Wednesday, 3^rd June 2026.

Transparency InternationalRaises Concerns Over Ghana’s RTI Law Implementation

Transparency International has disclosed that bureaucratic obstacles remain a major barrier to the effective implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act across West Africa, including Ghana.
The organization made this known during the presentation of its latest West Africa Right to Information Report and Policy Brief, which assessed the implementation of RTI laws in Ghana, Liberia, Togo, and Sierra Leone.
According to the report, despite Ghana having an operational RTI Act, awareness of the law remains low, leading to its underutilization. It also noted that some public institutions continue to delay or deny access to requested information.

RTI on PMs’ foreign travel: Nov 2019-26: MR spent the most; Dinesh, Harini the least : BY Buddhika Samaraweera

The Morning: Sri Lanka: Wednesday, 3^rd June 2026.

• MR spent Rs 42 m on 3 visits; Dinesh spent Rs 3 m on 4 visits
• No foreign visits by Ranil during 2022 PM tenure
• Harini has travelled the most with 8 visits; spent only Rs 11.5 m

Of the four Prime Ministers (PMs) who served between November 2019 and 13 May of this year, Mahinda Rajapaksa incurred the highest expenditure on foreign travel, spending Rs 42.3 m on only three overseas visits, whereas Dinesh Gunawardena recorded the lowest foreign travel expenditure, spending just Rs 3.43 m, despite undertaking four foreign visits.
The figures were revealed in information provided under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, No. 12 of 2016 by the PM's Office.
Rajapaksa, who served as the PM from 21 November 2019 to 9 May 2022, incurred a total expenditure of Rs 3,225,092,107.50 (approximately Rs 3.23 b) through the PM's Office. During that period, he made three official foreign visits to Bangladesh, Italy and India at a total cost of Rs 42,315,510.79 (approximately Rs 42.3 m).
Ranil Wickremesinghe, who served as the PM from 12 May 2022 to 21 July 2022, incurred a total of Rs 141,214,407.48 (approximately Rs 141.2 m) through the PM's Office and did not undertake any foreign visits during his tenure.
Gunawardena, who served as the PM from 22 July 2022 to 23 September 2024, incurred a total expenditure of Rs 2,403,160,007.96 (approximately Rs 2.4 b) through the PM's Office. He undertook four foreign visits to Thailand, China on two occasions, and to South Korea. The total expenditure on those visits amounted to Rs 3,431,922.91 (approximately Rs 3.43 m), the lowest foreign travel expenditure among the four PMs.
Incumbent PM Dr Harini Amarasuriya, who is in office from 24 September 2024 to date, has incurred a total expenditure of Rs 1,361,114,655.56 (approximately Rs 1.36 b) through the PM's Office as at 13 May. She undertook eight foreign visits to Germany, France, Thailand, Canada, Switzerland, China, India and the Philippines, with the total expenditure on those visits amounting to Rs 11,546,694.56 (approximately Rs 11.5 m).
The information shows that although Dr Amarasuriya undertook the highest number of foreign visits among the four PMs, the expenditure incurred on those visits was substantially lower than the amount spent on foreign travel during Rajapaksa's tenure.

Important to question those in power to enforce accountability; strong judiciary must: Former judge S Muralidhar -Written by: Somya Panwar, Jagriti Rai

The Indian Express: Article: Wednesday, 3^rd June 2026.
Senior advocate S Muralidhar underlined the importance of asking questions to those "in power to enforce accountability".

The only way you can really enforce accountability of those in power is a strong judiciary, S Muralidhar said.

Senior Supreme Court advocate and former Chief Justice of Orissa High Court S Muralidhar on Tuesday said it is important to ask questions to whoever is in power to enforce accountability, and the only way to influence accountability of those in power is to have a strong judiciary.
S Muralidhar, who was also a judge in the Delhi High Court, was speaking at the launch of a quiz book in Bengaluru titled ‘Ready for the Law Challenge’, authored by his former intern Raghav Chakravarthy. He was on the panel discussing topic “Curiosity, Democracy and Public Life”.
“As a lawyer and, of course, later as a judge, you begin to realise the only way you can really influence accountability of those in power is to have a strong judiciary. A judiciary that lends its hand to people wanting answers from the government. And the more and more judges realise that they are meant to do this very primary fundamental duty as a constitutional court, we’ll have a better country,” he added.

S Muralidhar was speaking at the launch of a quiz book in Bengaluru titled ‘Ready for the Law Challenge’, authored by his former intern Raghav Chakravarthy. He was on the panel discussing topic “Curiosity, Democracy and Public Life”.

On RTI movement
The former judge also highlighted the power of the RTI movement when he said, “The RTI movement followed with the RTI Act. It came through small protests of this nature, where they were asking questions of the local administration. It’s so important to ask questions of whoever is in power to enforce accountability. Democracy in the court, of course, as a judge, as a lawyer, you keep filing petitions where you don’t get responses from the government otherwise. The government is forced to come and respond to the court.”
Responding to the question on curiosity and its role in his life, S Muralidhar said, “I think curiosity plays a role in democracy; I think the best example to give here. Just to see the power of the people is the MK case movement in Rajasthan.”
He highlighted how people were asking a simple question of their own panchayats. “Money is allocated for projects in this area; what’s happened to that money? Show us the accounts; that’s how the entire movement started, and it’s one of the most powerful tools,” he added.
On Safai Karmachari Andolan being mentioned, he said that the PIL started in 2003, three years before he became a judge; with that, he emphasised, “what we could not have got through RTI applications, and otherwise, we were able to get responses from states across the country.”
Continuing the conversation of RTI, he said that those responses were denials that there is any manual scavenging happening in the state. “We had to then produce video clips.” He continued, “We had to produce personal testimonies to make them accept that it was happening, and it was a long struggle, so that was another big, big step forward in trying to eradicate the practice; it’s not been entirely successful, but that’s a fight that will go on.”
As a lawyer, and of course later as a judge, you begin to realise that the only way you can really enforce accountability of those in power is a strong judiciary, he said.
‘Law an ocean’
Elaborating on the influence of law and legal development, Muralidhar said that every day something happens in connection with the law.
“You open the newspaper, there are so many news items about what’s happening in the court or what’s happening in society, which can become a potential case. So there’s a lot of interest in law. Lawyers, by their very training get to realise very soon that all the learning happens in court,” he said.
However, the former judge said, it is not possible to get exposed to all branches of the law.
“It’s like an ocean. Like, so many disciplines. It’s a vast ocean. So you may join a law office where your senior colleague does a certain kind of case, and you may not have any exposure to other kinds of cases at all. You can sit in the court, you can watch other lawyers perform, but it’s only so much of a learning… Kerala has attempted it, like a law academy, that is on-the-job learning. So there are so many developments in the law at a very rapid pace that you can’t keep up with it.”
Muralidhar, therefore, underscored the need of an avenue where one is not taxed for and learns to enjoy besides gaining knowledge. “And quizzes somehow break down hierarchies. The brightest mind could be the youngest,” he noted.

Delhi High Court refuses to disclose Safety Analysis Report of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant under RTI Act

India Legal Live : Chayanika: New Delhi: Tuesday, June 02, 2026.

The Delhi High Court has held that the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) relating to Units I and II of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu is exempt from disclosure under the Right to Information Act, 2005, holding that the document is protected by statutory exemptions concerning fiduciary relationships, national security interests and India’s relations with a foreign State. 

The single-judge Bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav set aside a 2012 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC), which had directed the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to disclose the report to RTI applicant SP Udaykumar after redacting proprietary design-related information.

The Court held that NPCIL was in possession of the SAR in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of the Russian Federation and, therefore, the document was exempt from disclosure under Section 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act. The Court further ruled that disclosure of the report could adversely affect India’s scientific and strategic interests, as well as its diplomatic relations with a foreign government, thereby attracting the exemption contained in Section 8(1)(a) of the Act. While examining the nature of the project, the Court noted that the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant was established pursuant to an inter-governmental agreement between India and Russia, with the reactor technology and design being supplied by the Russian side.

The judgment records that the Russian entity associated with the project had specifically objected to the publication of the Safety Analysis Report, asserting confidentiality over the document. The High Court observed that the Safety Analysis Report contains sensitive technical and safety-related information concerning the nuclear facility and forms part of a framework involving international cooperation and strategic infrastructure. In such circumstances, disclosure of the document could not be treated as an ordinary exercise under the transparency regime of the RTI Act.

Justice Kaurav also relied on the Supreme Court’s decision in *G. Sundarrajan v. Union of India*, wherein the apex court had examined and rejected various challenges concerning the safety and operational aspects of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project. Referring to the findings of the Supreme Court, the High Court held that safety concerns relating to the project had already undergone judicial scrutiny at the highest level. Consequently, no overriding public interest existed that would justify disclosure of the report despite the statutory exemptions available under the RTI Act.

The dispute originated from an RTI application filed by Udaykumar in 2010 seeking access to the Safety Analysis Report, Site Evaluation Report and Environmental Impact Assessment Report relating to Reactors I and II of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. Following the application, the Central Information Commission in 2012 directed disclosure of the Safety Analysis Report after excluding proprietary reactor design details. 

Aggrieved by the CIC’s direction, NPCIL approached the Delhi High Court challenging the order. Allowing the petition, the High Court held that the CIC had failed to adequately consider the fiduciary nature of the information, the strategic implications of disclosure and the international obligations arising from the Indo-Russian nuclear cooperation framework Accordingly, the Court concluded that the Safety Analysis Report of Units I and II of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is protected from disclosure under the RTI Act and set aside the CIC’s order directing its releas

Students of law varsity learn about RTI Act during 2-day workshop.

Tribune India: Shimla: Tuesday, June 02, 2026.

Over 1,500 students of Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla, were apprised of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, during a two-day workshop organised by the Legal Aid Clinic of the university in collaboration with Vidhi Vimarsh. The workshop aimed at promoting awareness regarding transparency, accountability and citizens’ rights under the RTI.

The workshop featured distinguished experts in the field of transparency and governance, including Shailesh Gandhi and Uday Mahurkar, former Central Information Commissioners, Government of India; Rahul Singh, former State Information Commissioner, Madhya Pradesh; and Nikhil Dey, founder member of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) and the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI). Prof Priti Saxena, Vice-Chancellor of the university was also present during the workshop.

Held in four comprehensive modules over two days, the workshop provided participants with in-depth knowledge of RTI, procedures for filing RTI applications, transparency mechanisms, the role of Information Commissions, landmark judicial pronouncements and contemporary debates concerning reforms in the RTI framework. The resource persons highlighted the continuing relevance of RTI as one of the most effective democratic tools available to citizens for ensuring transparency, accountability and good governance.

Through practical illustrations and real-life experiences, the speakers emphasised the transformative role played by the RTI movement in strengthening participatory democracy and empowering citizens.

dvocate Seeking Information Under RTI Act To Defend Client Cannot Be Dragged Into Criminal Case: Karnataka High Court Quashes FIR.

Verdictum: Bengaluru: Tuesday, June 02, 2026.

The Court strongly admonished the complainant, a public servant, for dragging the defence counsel into a matrimonial and caste-related dispute merely for discharging his professional obligations.

The Karnataka High Court quashed a criminal case registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against an advocate who was arrayed as an accused for simply seeking information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to defend his client. The Court expressed deep disquiet over the rising trend of disgruntled litigants weaponizing the criminal justice system to intimidate advocates. The Court categorically held that an advocate acting strictly within the confines of professional duties and institutional instructions cannot be subjected to the trauma of investigative proceedings, as such intimidation strikes a paralyzing blow to the independence of the Bar and the purity of the administration of justice.

The Bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna observed, "Before parting with the matter, this Court considers it both necessary and appropriate to record its deep, disquiet and increasingly disturbing trend that has surfaced in recent times. This Court is encountering plethora of cases, wherein Advocates, who merely represent parties before Courts of law in the discharge of their professional obligations, are themselves being dragged into criminal proceedings and arrayed as accused. The only “fault” attributable to such Advocates, is that they appeared for their clients and articulated their cause before the concerned judicial forum." 

Brief Facts of the Case

The Petitioner was an advocate by profession who came to be arrayed as accused number four in a criminal case registered by the jurisdictional police. A matrimonial dispute arose between the complainant, who was working as an Assistant Conservator of Forest, and the co-accused individuals. The petitioner was engaged professionally to represent the co-accused and accordingly entered appearance by filing his vakalathnama and subsequent statement of objections before the family court. In the course of discharging his professional duties and acting upon instructions from his clients, the petitioner filed an application under the Right to Information Act before an educational institution to secure certain information concerning the complainant for production before the court.

Consequent to the collection of information regarding the caste of the complainant from the school, the complainant lodged a criminal complaint. The said complaint was registered as a first information report against several individuals, including the petitioner, for offences punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Agitated by the registration of the said crime, the petitioner approached the High Court seeking quashing of the proceedings.

Contentions of the parties

The Petitioner vehemently contended that the registration of the criminal case against an advocate was a gross abuse of the process of law and a clear misuse of the criminal justice system. It was submitted that the petitioner had no personal animosity or involvement in the inter-se dispute between the parties and was merely acting in his professional capacity to defend his clients. It was argued that the act of seeking information under the Right to Information Act to bolster a client’s legal defense could not be construed as a criminal offence, and allowing the investigation to continue would result in a miscarriage of justice.

The Complainant countered the arguments, asserting that the petition was premature as the investigation was at its threshold. It was contended that the petitioner-advocate had exceeded the scope of his professional duties by attempting to gather information beyond what was legally necessary for presentation before the court. The Respondent sought the dismissal of the petition, arguing that the true role and intent of the petitioner could only be unearthed through a comprehensive police investigation. 

Observations of the Court 

High Court observed that to attract the provisions of Section 336 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), there must exist the deliberate making of a false document or electronic record with the intent to cause injury or unlawful prejudice. The Court noted that how these ingredients could be attributed to the petitioner remained shrouded in mystery, as his role was strictly confined to procuring school documents under professional instructions from his clients. The Court further noted that the invocation of Sections 336(3) and 340 of the BNS—which contemplate forgery for the purpose of cheating or using a forged document as genuine—was wholly untenable. The complaint was found to be conspicuously silent regarding any participation, fabrication, or fraudulent intent on the part of the petitioner, meaning the offenses could not independently survive or justify an investigation against him It was held that the allegations pertaining to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were woven in the most fragile and nebulous manner. 

The Court observed that the complaint contained no whisper of any overt act or hurling of abuses by the petitioner in a public place or a place of public view, thereby failing to disclose the foundational ingredients required to invoke the rigors of the special penal provisions. The Court expressed deep disquiet over the increasingly disturbing trend of dragging advocates into criminal proceedings merely for discharging their professional duties. It observed that exposing advocates to criminal prosecution for articulating their clients' causes would have a paralyzing and chilling effect on the fearless discharge of their duties, thereby striking at the very independence of the Bar and the purity of the administration of justice. The High Court unequivocally admonished the second respondent-complainant, noting that such conduct, especially coming from a public servant, displayed a reckless misuse of authority and an abuse of coercive powers. 

The Court observed that the sanctity of the justice delivery system must remain inviolable and warned that any future reiteration of such unfounded conduct would be viewed with the utmost seriousness. "Such tendency strikes at the very heart of independence of the bar, by necessary extension the purity of administration of justice itself. Advocates are officers of the Court, they function within the confines of professional duty, acting upon the instructions of their client and presenting their cause within the four corners of law. If every Advocate, merely by a reason of appearing for a litigant is exposed to criminal prosecution and trauma of investigative proceedings, the inevitable consequence would be a chilling and paralyzing effect upon fearless discharge of professional responsibilities. The majesty of legal profession cannot be permitted to be diminished by disgruntled litigants to wield criminal law as a weapon of intimidation against the members of the bar", the Court observed.

Accordingly, the High Court allowed the writ petition preferred by the petitioner. The criminal proceedings impugned in the petition pending before the jurisdictional Magistrate Court were quashed qua the petitioner. 

Cause Title: Sri Pradeep Kumar v. The State and Anr. [Neutral Citation:2026:KHC:21597] Appearances: Petitioner: Advocate Sravanna S Respondents: Addl. SPP BS Jagadeesh and Advocate BS Sachin

CIC pulls up law ministry over incomplete RTI on Court fee data

Telangana Today: New Delhi: Monday, 1^St June 2026.
An RTI seeking nationwide court fee collection data remained incomplete despite being transferred across four entities. The Central Information Commission has ordered a fresh reply and issued show-cause notices to Law Ministry officials over mishandling and procedural lapses

An RTI application seeking nationwide data on judicial court fee collections was transferred to four government departments and public sector entities but the information provided remained incomplete, prompting the CIC to direct a fresh reply and issue show-cause notices to officials of the law ministry.
The RTI applicant had sought details of annual collections of judicial court fees, including e-court fees, on an all-India basis, the total amount collected since June 1, 2014, with state-wise annual figures and the utilisation of such collections and related allocations.
According to the Central Information Commission (CIC) order, the application was filed with the Department of Legal Affairs under the Ministry of Law and Justice and was subsequently transferred to the Department of Financial Services (DFS), its Institutional Finance-I (IF-I) Division, Industrial Finance Corporation of India Ltd (IFCI) and finally the Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd (SHCIL). The IF-I Division informed the applicant that the information sought was not available with it and transferred the application to IFCI.
IFCI, in turn, said the queries appeared to pertain to SHCIL and forwarded the application to the company. SHCIL provided details of e-court fee collections for 16 states and Union Territories where it operates e-court services. However, on the second query relating to court fee collections since June 2014 and the third query regarding utilisation of the collections, it stated that the information sought was not applicable to it.
During the hearing, the appellant submitted that the information provided on the first two points was incomplete and that no information had been received on the utilisation of court fees, which related to the Ministry of Law and Justice.
The Commission observed that the application had moved from the Department of Legal Affairs to DFS, then to the IF-I Division, IFCI and finally SHCIL. It noted that SHCIL had provided replies only on the first two points and had stated that information on the third point was not available with it.
“The CPIO Stockholding Corporation of India Ltd. provided the reply only on points 1 and 2 of the RTI application and said that the information on point 3 is not available,” the order said.
Recording SHCIL’s submission that it would revisit its response and rectify any discrepancy, the CIC directed the company’s CPIO to provide a revised reply on points one and two.
The Commission also issued a show-cause notice to the CPIO of the Department of Legal Affairs, asking why action under Section 20 of the RTI Act should not be initiated for wrongly transferring the entire application to DFS and for remaining absent during the hearing without prior intimation.
A separate show-cause notice was issued to the First Appellate Authority in the Ministry of Law and Justice for not responding to the appellant’s letter dated October 12, 2024.