Delhi Medical colleges fail to submit Action taken reports for Nasha mukt abhiyaan: RTI reveals compliance gap

 Medical Dialogues: New Delhi: Tuesday, 30 December 2025.
In a shocking revelation, information obtained through the Right to Information application has revealed that none of the 10 medical colleges in Delhi have submitted the mandatory action-taken (ATRs) reports under the Nasha Mukt Abhiyan. Across the country, only 49 medical institutes have filed the compliance report.

The Union Ministries of Social Justice & Empowerment and Education launched the Nasha Mukt Abhiyan programme in August 2024. It requires medical colleges to set up Nasha Mukt Hostel Committees, conduct counselling and awareness programmes, identify at-risk students, monitor hostels for early signs of substance use etc. The medical colleges are required to submit quarterly reports to the regulator.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that last year, the Secretaries in the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment and the Department of Higher Education, GoI, had requested the NMC chairman for the implementation of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (Drug-Free India Campaign) in the Medical Colleges.
Accordingly, to combat the menace of drug abuse, last year, NMC had informed its decision to implement the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (Drug-Free India Campaign) in all the medical colleges across India. Additionally, NMC had also decided to constitute a drug-free hostel committee in all colleges/institutions.
Earlier this year also, the National Medical Commission (NMC) asked the medical colleges under its purview to submit an action taken report regarding the implementation of the measures on "Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan", launched by the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment. NMC had asked the medical colleges to provide the requisite ATR directly to the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, along with a copy of Higher Education Department.
As per the latest media report by the Times of India, information obtained through the RTI application revealed that none of the premier medical institutes in Delhi- including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, VMMC, Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), UCMS, BSA Medical College, NDMC Medical College, Army College of Medical Sciences and Jamia Hamdard- have submitted the required ATRs under the Nasha Mukt Abhiyan.
Meanwhile, in response to the RTI findings, the National Medical Commission (NMC) said that the figures cited required verification. As per the TOI report, the NMC said, "The claim that 49 medical colleges have submitted ATRs while none of Delhi’s 10 colleges have done so is not available with the NMC at this stage and requires verification, given there are nearly 800 medical colleges in the country."
The Commission further added that it had issued an advisory on August 14, 2024, directing all medical colleges to implement anti-drug measures under the Nasha Mukt Abhiyan. It added, "Several colleges have submitted their ATRs directly to the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, as instructed."
NMC further added that the follow-up action would be initiated after receiving the consolidated data. "The Anti-Ragging Cell has been asked to seek details and propose further action," the Commission further mentioned.
The officials at Delhi-based RML Hospital have, however, acknowledged that while a committee was constituted and activities had been initiated, some SOP implementations are still underway and the ATR was not sent to the Apex Medical Commission. An official from AIIMS said that committee-related documents were shared with the NDDTC in Ghaziabad but not with the Social Justice Ministry, as mandated.
According to officials, under the campaign, medical colleges were prioritised because students living in hostels face a higher risk of substance use due to academic pressure, stress, peer influence, and limited supervision. The experts have warned that without enforceable reporting, the initiative risked remained symbolic rather than effective.
TOI has reported that across the country, the colleges that have submitted the ATRs include institutions in Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan, Assam, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Stubble burning contributed only 3.5% to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels in 2025: RTI

 Tribune India: New Delhi: Tuesday, 30 December 2025.

Stubble burning contributed only 3.5% to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels in 2025, a sharp decline from 13% in 2020, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has revealed in response to a Right to Information (RTI).
The RTI, filed by environmental activist Amit Gupta, shows that for data on contribution of different sources to Delhi’s PM2.5 and PM10 levels, the CPCB continues to rely on the 2018 TERI-ARAI Source Apportionment report.
The CPCB in its response has not provided any updated, comprehensive assessment of pollution sources in Delhi-NCR.
Data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board shows that the average contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels was 3.5% in 2025 (October-December), 10.6% in 2024, 11% in 2023, 9% in 2022, 13% in 2021 and 13% in 2020.
The Tribune has reported that in one of the earlier RTI replies, the Central Pollution Control Board has revealed that around 8,600 FIRs were registered against farmers in Punjab and Haryana over the past two years for stubble burning, with nearly Rs 60 crore recovered as fines.
Gupta pointed out that enforcement against farmers has been aggressive and financially punitive. Meanwhile, enforcement against major pollution sources within Delhi-NCR remains weak, he said.
“Garbage burning continues year-round, construction and demolition norms are routinely flouted, road dust mitigation is inadequate, diesel generators operate unchecked, older vehicles emit high pollution and industries and thermal power plants continue to discharge pollutants,” Gupta said.
Together, these sources contribute 85-90% of PM2.5 in the NCR region.
PM2.5 is the most lethal air pollutant, linked to heart disease, stroke, asthma, pregnancy complications and premature deaths.

RTI Expert and Sindhu College Registrar Naveen Agrawal to Enlighten Judges on RTI

Nagpur Today: Nagpur: Tuesday, 30 December 2025.

Honoring the expertise of Shri Naveen Maheshkumar Agrawal, a national-level Right to Information (RTI) trainer and Registrar of Dada Ramchand Bakhru Sindhu Mahavidyalaya, the Chhattisgarh State Judicial Academy (CSJA), Bilaspur, has once again invited him as a ‘Resource Person’. In the prestigious training programme scheduled for January 10, 2026, Shri Agrawal will share his insights and experience with Honourable Judges and Judicial Officers (Public Information Officers and Appellate Authorities) from various courts across Chhattisgarh.
This marks the second consecutive occasion that the Chhattisgarh Judicial Academy has placed its trust in Shri Agrawal’s expertise. During this special session, Shri Agrawal will shed light on the intricacies of the ‘Right to Information Act, 2005’ and the latest judicial precedents.
A certified trainer by the Institute of Secretariat Training and Management (ISTM), DoPT, Government of India, and YASHADA, the apex training institute of the Government of Maharashtra, Shri Agrawal is also a Resource Person at the Harish Chandra Mathur Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration (HCM RIPA). He is widely recognized for delivering highly effective and simplified RTI training in Hindi. His expertise has been sought by premier organizations across the country, including NITI Aayog, Central Academy for Police Training, Association of Indian Universities, National Academy of Defence Production, Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, IITs, subsidiaries of Coal India Limited, Institute of Food Security, National CPWD Academy, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, and the National Academy for Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation.
Shri Agrawal’s book, “Digest of RTI Cases,” is considered a vital reference guide for judicial interpretations. In addition to training, he has served as a member of the 7-member expert committee of the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Ministry of Home Affairs, which designed the disaster management curriculum for higher education institutions in India.
The fact that an administrative officer is mentoring judges at a high judicial level is a matter of immense pride for the entire region. On this achievement, Dr. I. P. Keswani, President; Dr. Vinky M. Rughwani, Chairman; Shri N. H. Bakhru, General Secretary; Shri Amit Bakhru, Secretary for College Affairs of Sindhi Hindi Vidya Samiti; and Principal Dr. V. M. Pendsey congratulated him, describing it as a golden chapter in the glorious history of the college.

RTI Reveals Government Rewarded Only 217 Good Samaritans in Four Years.

The Wire: New Delhi: Monday, December 29, 2025.

A Right to Information (RTI) response received on December 1, 2025 has revealed that 217 good samaritans have been rewarded under the Good Samaritan Scheme (renamed) launched by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on October 3, 2021.

Bihar has the maximum number of such awardees, with 95 people. Rajasthan has had 34 beneficiaries of the scheme, while 30 were in Gujarat, 22 in Jharkhand, 12 in Himachal Pradesh, 10 in Nagaland, three each in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Tripura and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Assam.

Good Samaritans – people who save the life of a victim of a deadly accident involving a motor vehicle by providing immediate assistance and rushing the injured to a hospital or trauma centre within a short time period, referred to as the “golden hour”, to receive medical treatment – are entitled to monetary benefits under this scheme.

The Union government currently provides Rs 25,000 to beneficiaries. Earlier, good samaritans received only Rs 5,000, but the amount was raised in January 2025.

However, the total number of good samaritans awarded and recognised – just 217 since the scheme's inception – under the scheme is small considering the alarmingly high number of road accident fatalities in the country.

The RTI response from the ministry of road transport and highways for people awarded as good samaritans.

This is also reflected in the response of Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, in the Rajya Sabha on December 10, 2025.

The data revealed that the number of road accidents and resulting fatalities grew in India between 2020 and 2024. In 2020, there were 3,72,181 road accidents, which increased to 4,12,432 in 2021, then to 4,61,312 in 2022 and further to 4,80,583 and 4,87,705 in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Fatalities due to road accidents stood at 1,38,383 in 2020 and rose to 1,53,972 in 2021, then to 1,68,491 in 2022 and to 1,72,890 and 1,77,177 in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

The idea of protecting India’s good samaritans – and therefore making the roads safer – has a more than decade-old history. In 2012, the non-governmental organisation SaveLife Foundation filed a Public Interest Litigation under Article 32 of the Constitution in the Supreme Court. It sought the development of a supportive legal framework to protect those who save lives in the event of accidents. (Article 32 gives Indian citizens the right to move the apex court to enforce fundamental rights.)

On October 29, 2014, the Supreme Court directed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Law and Justice to consult each other and issue directions to protect good samaritans.

The Good Samaritan Guidelines were issued in a highway ministry notification on May 12, 2015. Hospitals, police and other authorities were required to follow them to protect these life-savers from harassment and to encourage behaviour that could save lives.

A Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways note from April 2025 on details of the scheme. It has since been renamed Rah-Veer Yojana (Road Braveheart Scheme).

In March 2016, the Supreme Court, ruling on the SaveLife Foundation’s PIL, issued directions to implement and enforce the guidelines so that accident victims could receive immediate help and those who assisted them were not subjected to legal or other trouble. The apex court had then stated: “Good Samaritans have the fear of legal consequences, involvement in litigation and repeated visits to police station.”

Legislative changes to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (MV Act) followed soon after. The MV (Amendment) Act, 2019 came into effect on August 9, 2019. Provisions were added to ensure protection of good samaritans from harassment by police authorities and to shield them from criminal or civil action. The amendment also enabled the Union government to frame rules on procedures for questioning or examining good samaritans, as well as on the disclosure of their personal information and related matters.

The rights of good samaritans were further strengthened when the road transport ministry published the new rules on September 29, 2020. These protected their right to privacy and prevented police personnel from compelling them to disclose their name, identity, address or any other personal details, unless they voluntarily chose to do so.

The rules also directed private and public hospitals to publish a charter in Hindi, English and a third language on their websites and in conspicuous areas of hospital premises, stating the rights of good samaritans under the MV Act, 2019.

However, these legislative and executive changes, which followed a successful exercise of judicial activism, have not unfolded on the ground as one might have hoped. A report published in the Times of India in May this year highlighted how the Good Samaritan policy was not receiving a strong response from people in Jharkhand. The Deputy Inspector General of the road safety cell, Dhananjaya Singh, told the daily that lack of awareness and compassion were the main reasons for the lukewarm response.

On November 3, a dump truck driver allegedly under the influence of alcohol mowed down 17 vehicles in Jaipur, Rajasthan, injuring 13 people and killing 14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured. A Times of India report from November 7 noted that several locals came forward to help police and ambulance workers transport the injured to hospitals. However, none of the volunteers received incentives or acknowledgement from the state government.

A World Health Organisation report on road traffic injury prevention published in 2004 pointed out that much of the low-income population does not have access to even basic emergency medical services and that evacuation and transport to hospital is more often carried out by bystanders, relatives, commercial vehicles or the police. For this reason, protecting and rewarding good samaritans is even more crucial in developing countries such as India, where medical infrastructure remains inadequate for road networks prone to high accident rates.

However, judicial, legislative and executive actions undertaken in the public interest have not had as radical an on-ground impact in a country with some of the world’s most unsafe roads.

Sourodpito Sanyal is a freelance journalist.

Thakare stresses on RTI efficiency.

Times of India: Nagpur: Monday, December 29, 2025.

Stressing the need for accountability in implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, Amravati information commissioner and retired IAS officer Ravindra Thakare on Sunday said the focus must shift to understanding why information is denied in the first place, forcing applicants to file first appeals. Speaking at the Jansamvaad, organised by NGO Janmanch, Thakare said as RTI information already exists with departments, then why is it not being supplied within the mandatory 30-day period? 

Thakare revealed that nearly 70–80% of RTI officials are not functioning as per the spirit of the law. "Without a first appeal, almost no one gets the information they ask for," he said. Thakare said that although India has strong laws, very few citizens actually use them effectively. He urged retired officials to take responsibility as stakeholders in democracy & actively support citizens in understanding & exercising their rights under RTI. 

Thakare said prolonged delays often lead to applicants losing interest. To address logistical challenges, the Information Commission has adopted video conference hearings, especially post-Covid, he said.

पंजाब-सोसाइटी-RTI-विवाद:संस्थाओं का विरोध-गैर सरकारी सोसाइटियों को RTI के दायरे में शामिल करना असंवैधानिक

Dainik Bhaskar: Ludhiana: Sunday, 28 December 2025.

सांझा मंच के प्रतिनिधी बैठक दौरान उपस्थित।

पंजाब सोसाइटी रजिस्ट्रेशन अमेंडमेंट एक्ट 2025 (प्रस्तावित ) को लेकर लगातार विवाद हो रहा है। आज मॉडल टाउन लुधियाना में हुई एक विशेष बैठक में में सांझा मंच के समाजसेवी संस्थाओं ने इसको लेकर चर्चा की। संस्थाओं ने राज्य सरकार के नए प्रस्ताव का विरोध किया और इसको असंवैधानिक बताया।
इसे संशोधन के दायरे में नहीं लाया जा सकता है
स्कूल संघ पंजाब के प्रतिनिधि भुवनेश भट्ट ने कहा कि RTI एक्ट 2005 की धारा 2(h) में संशोधन किए बिना, गैर सरकारी वित्तीय सहायता प्राप्त सोसाइटियों को RTI एक्ट के दायरे में शामिल करना कानूनी रूप से संभव नहीं है और RTI Act 2005 केंद्रीय क़ानून है। सरकार का ये असंवैधानिक फैसला है। जिसमें संशोधन राज्य सरकार के दायरे में नहीं आता। अतः इस मुद्दे पर बारीकी से नजर रखी जाए और नोटिफिकेशन होने पर फिर से चर्चा करके उपयुक्त कदम उठाए जाएं।
​बिना मदद के समाज के लिए कर रहे काम, तो हम शिकंजा क्यों
FAP के प्रतिनिधि अनुभव जैन ने कहा कि सोसाइटी एक्ट के तहत रजिस्टर्ड सोसाइटियां स्वास्थ-शिक्षा-खेल प्रोत्साहन जैसी सरकारी जिम्मेदारी को बिना सरकार की मदद लिए निभा रही हैं। साथ ही संस्कृति और सभ्याचार के प्रचार प्रसार के लिए समर्पित है। उनका कहना है कि इन समाज सेवी संस्थाओं को बढ़ावा देने के बजाय वर्तमान पंजाब सरकार शिकंजा कस रही है। जबकि सरकार ऐसी पार्टी की है, जो एक सामाजिक संस्था के आंदोलन से जन्मी है। इसका यह फैसला हैरानीजनक है।
सरकार केवल अफसरों के इनपुट तक सीमित
JAF के प्रतिनिधि प्रीतपाल सिंह ने कहा कि सरकार का गैर सरकारी सामाजिक संस्थाओं (सोसाइटी) को RTI के दायरे में शामिल करने की कोशिश न केवल असंवैधानिक है बल्कि चुनावी वर्ष में सरकार की छवि को भी धूमिल करेगी। शायद सरकार केवल अफसरशाही के इनपुट तक सीमित होती जा रही है।
बैठक में स्कूल संघ पंजाब के प्रतिनिधि राजेश नागर ने कहा कि उक्त प्रस्तावित सोसाइटी एक्ट संशोधन में RTI संबंधी कोलाज को छोड़कर बाकी सभी बातें पहले से ही सोसाइटी एक्ट का हिस्सा हैं। यह केवल पुराने सामान को नई पैकिंग करके मार्केटिंग का मामला लगता है ।बैठक में सांझा मंच के समाजसेवी संस्थाओं के प्रतिनिधि अनुभव कुमार, बलदेव अरोड़ा, बलदेव बावा, मनमोहन सिंह, विशाल गर्ग, शिफू अग्रवाल, गौरव नागर,सुरिंदर नेगी, पृथिपाल सिंह, राजेश नागर, भुवनेश भट्ट आदि शामिल हुए।
कानूनी विकल्प पर होगी चर्चा
पंजाब कैबिनेट द्वारा 29 नवंबर 2025 को पास उक्त बिल जो कि अभी नोटिफाई नहीं हुआ है। उसके अंतर्गत सभी सोसाइटीज़ को RTI Act के दायरे में शामिल करने संबंधी प्रावधान पूरी तरह असंवैधानिक फैसला है। इस संबंधी नोटिफिकेशन जारी होने के बाद इस पर सभी कानूनी विकल्पों पर चर्चा कि जाएगी।

Over 11,000 RTIs filed over school fee aid rejections : Yagnesh Bharat Mehta

Times of India: Surat: Saturday, 27 December 2025.
At least 11,200 Right to Information (RTI) applications have been filed by diamond artisans seeking details on the rejection of their applications for school fee assistance of Rs 13,500 per child, officials said. The artisans have expressed anguish over the rejection, citing severe financial hardship following job losses in the diamond sector.

According to official data, 26,669 out of 74,268 applications submitted by jobless diamond artisans for school fee support were rejected. The scheme is being implemented by the District Industries Centre (DIC) on behalf of the state government.
Artisans whose applications were rejected had earlier approached the DIC seeking clarification but claimed they did not receive satisfactory responses. Subsequently, they began filing RTI applications.
In their RTI submissions, the artisans sought detailed reasons for the rejection of their applications, copies of the submitted forms, copies of recommendation letters issued by the Surat Diamond Association (SDA) after verification, and details of the officials who processed their applications.
Officials said 47,599 applications, covering 50,241 children, were approved under the scheme. Of the total applications received, 47,599 were verified and recommended for assistance.
"I am the father of two children and submitted all required documents, but I did not receive the school fee support. I filed an RTI because I was not told why my application was rejected," said Vijay Rakholiya, a diamond artisan.
Another jobless artisan, Bachu Nandwana, said, "I have 24 years of experience in diamond polishing and have never faced such a difficult phase. I needed the school fee assistance to ensure my children's education, but my application was rejected."
Bhavesh Tank, vice-president of the Diamond Worker Union Gujarat, said several eligible artisans were denied assistance. "They approached the DIC with queries, and when they did not receive proper answers, they filed RTI applications," he said.
A DIC official said artisans have been informed that they can examine the documents and take copies if required. "Replying individually to such a large number of RTI applications is not possible in the current situation," the official said.
The state govt announced the support package in May for the struggling diamond cutting and polishing industry following representations by various associations. Under the package, the govt agreed to pay school fees of up to Rs 13,500 per child for the academic year 2025–26 to ensure that children of diamond workers who lost their jobs after March 31, 2024, do not drop out of school.
The package also includes interest subsidies on loans and waivers of electricity duty for diamond cutting and polishing units.
Form collection for school fee assistance continued for nearly two months, with more than 1.20 lakh applications submitted across Gujarat. The submission process concluded at the end of July.
As per the procedure, prescribed forms were distributed to applicants and collected through schools before being submitted to the DIC. The applications were then forwarded to the SDA for verification, following which the approved forms were returned to the DIC for final processing.

Who Controls Prime Govt Bungalows in Lutyens, New Delhi? RTI Appeal Seeks Answers

Moneylife: Pune: Saturday, 27 December 2025.
A fresh first appeal filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has once again brought scrutiny on the management of government bungalows located in the Lutyens bungalow zone (LBZ) of New Delhi, raising questions over illegal retention of official residences, allotments to private trusts, court-stayed evictions and arbitrary renumbering of prime government properties.

The appeal has been filed by noted RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal before directorate of estates under the Union ministry of urban development, challenging the response to his online RTI application dated 16 November 2025.
In his application, Mr Agrawal sought detailed records, file-notings and correspondence relating to government bungalows in New Delhi that continue to be occupied even after occupants have lost entitlement, residences where eviction proceedings are stayed by courts, and properties allotted to private trusts or foundations, including those converted into memorials of departed leaders.
He also sought rules governing allotment of government bungalows to private entities, the complete occupation history of bungalow No6, Krishna Menon Marg from Independence till date, and records relating to the conversion of bungalow No7, Krishna Menon Marg into bungalow No8-A. The application further sought clarity on whether any rules permit changes in bungalow numbering and, if no such rules exist, steps taken to restore original numbers.
Bungalow No6, Krishna Menon Marg has been converted into the Babu Jagjivan Ram National Foundation and will stay with the foundation till 2038. According to a report from The Print, till 2020, bungalow No7, Krishna Menon Marg was occupied by a senior judge of the Supreme Court. "Sources in the Supreme Court have told The Print that renovation work has started to integrate two bungalows in Lutyens’ Delhi. The 5, Krishan Menon Marg, which is the official residence of the CJI, will be combined with the adjacent 7, Krishna Menon Marg to establish a bigger residence-cum-office," the report says.
According to the report, both bungalows fall in the category of type 8 residential government accommodation and are part of the Supreme Court’s resources. While the 5, Krishan Menon Marg is 642 sqm in size, the 7, Krishna Menon Marg is 711 sqm.
According to the appeal filed by Mr Agrawal, the central public information officer (CPIO) declined information on key queries relating to illegal occupation, court cases and allotments to trusts by invoking Section 7(9) of the RTI Act, claiming that providing the information would disproportionately divert the resources of the directorate.
Mr Agrawal has contested this reasoning, stating that the number of government bungalows in New Delhi is limited and that information on exceptions like unauthorised occupants or special allotments should be readily available. He has argued that such data ought to be proactively disclosed on official websites and has sought directions for the information to be furnished free of cost under Section 7(6) of the RTI Act.
The appeal also flags discrepancies in the RTI reply, pointing out that documents claimed to have been enclosed by the CPIO are not actually provided. Mr Agrawal has sought their disclosure, again invoking provisions for free supply of information due to what he terms an unjustified denial.
A key focus of the appeal is bungalow No6, Krishna Menon Marg, where information was denied under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act on grounds of personal information. Mr Agrawal has cited an order passed by central information commission (CIC) on 7 May 2012, which had directed the ministry to place complete occupancy details of the bungalow in the public domain. He has argued that the denial ignores a binding CIC verdict and amounts to institutional non-compliance.
The appeal further calls for renewed public disclosure of records relating to the renumbering of official residences, questioning whether such changes were carried out to suit individual preferences rather than under any statutory framework.
The appeal filed by Mr Agrawal goes beyond individual properties and raises broader concerns about transparency, accountability and rule-based management of high-value public assets in Lutyens’ Delhi. Government bungalows in New Delhi are among the most valuable public properties in the country and any deviation from allotment rules, whether through illegal retention, preferential allotment or manipulation of records, has direct implications for public trust and equality before law.

Pending Disciplinary Action Shields Records u/s 8(1)(h) of RTI: IBBI FAA denies Disclosure, allows Only File Notings

Taxscan: National: Friday, 26 December 2025.

The underlying complaint alleged serious violations by the RP, including misappropriation of CIRP funds, falsification of minutes, violation of voting timelines, collusion with resolution applicants, failure to convene CoC meetings, and failure to update creditor lists.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India’s (IBBI) First Appellate Authority (FAA), has disposed of an RTI appeal filed by Sanjeev Mahajan under Section 19 of the Right to Information Act, 2005. The appeal challenged the response of the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) regarding the disclosure of records in disciplinary proceedings against Resolution Professional.

(Download Order of First Appellate Authority)

Teacher Surplus, Falling Enrolment Plague Nazira Primary Schools; RTI Reply Raises Questions

Assam Times: Assam: Friday, 26 December 2025.
Despite having nearly, a thousand teachers on its rolls, as many as 319 Lower Primary (LP), Middle English (ME), and Middle English schools under the Nazira Primary Education Block are functioning with a total student enrolment of only 27,077, averaging about 84 students per school.

As per official norms, there should be one teacher for every 30 students. Based on this guideline, the total enrolment in the block would require approximately 903 teachers. However, nearly 1,200 teachers are currently posted across these schools, far exceeding the required number.
While schools located in urban and easily accessible areas reportedly have an excess number of teachers compared to student strength, many remote and peripheral schools continue to face an acute shortage of teaching staff. This uneven distribution has adversely affected the overall quality of education. Despite repeated claims and slogans of improvement by the government, the issue remains largely unaddressed.
At the same time, the steady decline in student enrolment in Assamese-medium government schools has emerged as a serious concern. Despite the government spending crores of rupees on infrastructure development and teachers’ salaries, the quality of education has shown little improvement. Consequently, many aware parents are reluctant to enrol their children in these schools. Notably, even teachers working in government schools reportedly prefer to send their own children to private institutions, highlighting the prevailing lack of confidence in the system.
In another significant development, an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, seeking details of funds allocated and utilised under the Samagra Shiksha scheme for these 319 schools during the previous year, received an unexpected response. The Nazira Block Elementary Education Office reportedly stated that it was unable to provide any information regarding fund allocation or expenditure.
The absence of such crucial financial records at the block office has raised serious questions about transparency and accountability. Furthermore, the department allegedly declined to provide school-wise data on student enrolment and teacher deployment, citing unspecified reasons, fuelling suspicions of deliberate suppression of information.
Observers say that due to such administrative lapses, government schools are steadily losing their educational standards and, in many cases, are functioning in a quasi-commercial manner rather than as service-oriented institutions. As a result, several government schools are being shut down. Continued reluctance by the authorities to share information and ensure transparency, even amid this decline, points towards deeper systemic irregularities within the education administration.

Tribe Names In ST Certificates Of Some Manipur Government Staff Don't Exist In Official List: RTI

NDTV: Imphal/New Delhi: Thursday, 25 December 2025.
A Scheduled Tribes (ST) certificate that does not have the exact, formal name of the tribe as it is defined in the list approved by parliament can be considered invalid, the Supreme Court has ruled in many cases

The Scheduled Tribes (ST) certificates of some employees in Manipur government departments have names of tribes that do not exist in the state's official list of ST cleared by parliament, according to information obtained via the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The RTI queries went to at least over two dozen government departments, out of which 13 responded so far.
One department started an internal investigation to filter invalid ST certificates after finding some employees whose ST certificates mentioned tribes that are not in the officially recognised and parliament-approved list of tribes in Manipur.
Manipur's ST list has 34 recognised tribes, including 'Any Kuki Tribes' which appears as a single, distinct entry. The last tribe to be added to the list was 'Mate' in 2012.
'No Record of Information'
The first RTI application with four queries on issuing and verifying ST certificates in Manipur, filed on April 11, 2025, received a common response from the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Personnel Division) on May 5, 2025: "Department of Personnel has no record of the information as appointments are done by the respective departments."
The response led to the filing of an appeal on May 30, 2025 alleging "negligent and evasive response". It said the "claim that no records exist is unjustified" because the Department of Personnel, under the Rules of Allocation of Business framed under Article 166 of the Constitution, is the nodal authority for service matters including service records, appointments, promotions, and grievances of state and central civil service officers and all employees of the Manipur government.
Subsequently, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Personnel Division) on June 24, 2025 sent a letter to the administrative secretaries of all departments - over 40 of them - asking them to respond to the RTI queries which included a request for information about the number of Manipur government employees from 'Any Kuki Tribes' and 'Thadou' communities, and another request seeking information on the process of issuing and verifying ST certificates in the state.
"I am directed to enclose herewith the RTI application… which is self-explanatory and to transfer herewith the RTI applications under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, 2005 for furnishing the desired information in the application in respect of your department, to the RTI applicant directly," the personnel department said in its letter to all government departments in Manipur.
Section 6(3) of the RTI Act 2005 makes it a must for an officer to transfer the whole or part of an application to the correct department if the information sought is available with that department. This should be done within five days from the date the application came to prevent applicants from being tossed around.
The 13 departments that have so far replied with the data sought in the RTI queries are: Manipur State Power Distribution Co Ltd (MSPDCL) - Ukhrul, Ayush, Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution (CAF and PD), Water Resources, Finance, Fisheries, Manipur State Power Co Ltd (MSPCL), transport, handloom and textile, agriculture, family welfare; Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD), and horticulture.
What Departments Said
The water resources department on August 18, 2025 said it recruited five employees from 'Any Kuki Tribes' (AKT) community since 2003, the year AKT was re-inserted in Manipur's ST list after it was removed by parliament in 1956. Four out of the five AKT members had their father's ST certificate recorded as Thadou tribe, while the fifth one held ST certificate of the Vaiphei tribe before becoming AKT. The department said it has appointed 15 employees from the Thadou tribe since 2003.
However, the Tribal Affairs and Hills Department in its reply on June 11, 2025 to a separate RTI query said: "There is no prescribed procedure for changing a Scheduled Tribe certificate from one tribe to another for an individual belonging to the Scheduled Tribes in respect of the state of Manipur."
This particular query sought the procedure for changing tribe certificates from one tribe to another in Manipur, along with copies of rules and official verification process since many AKT employees held ST certificates of other tribes before they became AKT.
The Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution (CAF and PD) Department in its reply on August 18, 2025 said it appointed 10 employees belonging to the "Kuki tribe" since 2003. It declined to specify the name of the tribes and whether it checked their ST certificates for errors at the time of their appointment, saying, "Differentiating the categories of Schedule Tribe is not within the purview of this department."
In the Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department, the ST certificates of two employees showed one as from the "Thadou-Kuki" tribe (appointed in April 2015) and the other from the "Kuki" tribe (appointed in May 2016).
However, there is no entry for a tribe called "Thadou-Kuki" and "Kuki" in Manipur's ST list.
The list of 34 recognised tribes has Thadou and 'Any Kuki Tribes'.
The internal investigation by some departments is checking whether the appointments violate Article 16(4) of the Constitution, which reserves posts exclusively for ST communities notified under Article 342, which provides that only those tribes specifically notified by the president and amended by parliament are legally recognised as ST.
The Supreme Court has said several times that if a caste or a tribe certificate is found invalid, the appointment also becomes invalid and the employee can be fired. The court rulings are from Kumari Madhuri Patil vs Additional Commissioner (1994), State of Maharashtra vs Milind (2000), R. Vishwanatha Pillai vs State of Kerala (2004), Bank of India vs Avinash D Mandivikar, (2005), and Director of Tribal Welfare vs Laveti Giri (1995).
The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) said it does not check the names of tribes, but makes appointments under the category ST.
"All appointments of government employees in the department under 'Scheduled Tribe category' are done without making any distinction among the tribes," the PHED said in its reply on July 21, 2025.
The Manipur Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board has an employee whose ST certificate mentioned the person as belonging to "Any Kuki" - which does not exist in the official list of 34 tribes. The one in the ST list is called 'Any Kuki Tribes'.
An ST certificate that does not have the exact, formal name of the tribe as it is defined in the list approved by parliament can be considered invalid, as per the Supreme Court rulings mentioned above.
Otherwise, it's a situation where anything goes as far as verification of ST certificates is concerned.
Whether there has been a procedural fraud, or a genuine mistake due to carelessness by the ST certificate-issuing officer without any fault of the applicant is for the authorities to investigate.
Other tribe names that have been used in ST certificates but don't exist in the official ST list include 'Khongsai-Kuki' and just the single word, 'Kuki'.
Any Kuki Tribes in Brief
In 1956, parliament removed the 'Any Kuki Tribes' category from Manipur's list and cleared the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act.
In 2002, or over four decades later, the then Manipur Congress government's request to the central government to bring back 'Any Kuki Tribes' category in the ST list sailed through parliament, and 'Any Kuki Tribes' re-entered the border state's ST list a year later.
The then Manipur cabinet on October 19, 2018 approved the deletion of the nomenclature 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the state's ST list, documents from a previous RTI query filed with the Tribal Affairs Ministry showed.
The state government on February 8, 2023 sent a proposal to the ministry seeking removal of 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the ST list. It sent a detailed proposal a year later, on July 25, 2024, after answering some queries from the Tribal Affairs Ministry.
In the letter to the Tribal Affairs Ministry, the Manipur government alleged that the then state government recommended the central government to bring back 'Any Kuki Tribes' in Manipur's ST list "for political reasons".
"After 47 years... the then state government of Manipur had again recommended inserting the name of the broad tribal group namely 'Any Kuki Tribe' in the lists of ST... accordingly 'Any Kuki Tribe' was again restored in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 2002 for political reasons," the Manipur government said in the letter to the Tribal Affairs Ministry. Manipur had a Congress government at that time, headed by former chief minister O Ibobi Singh.
Any Kuki Tribes' as mentioned in Assam's ST list is different from how it is mentioned in Manipur's list. In Assam, all the sub-tribes are listed under one heading called 'Any Kuki Tribes'. The ST certificate is issued only in the name of any of the sub-tribes and not 'Any Kuki Tribes', which is an umbrella term.
In Manipur, 'Any Kuki Tribes' is mentioned as a separate, distinct tribe like Thadou, and the ST certificate is also issued under 'Any Kuki Tribes'.

No Punjabi version of Divyangjan Empowerment Scheme available, reveals RTI plea

Times of India: Patiala: Thursday, 25 December 2025.
The Punjab Language Department has issued formal directions to the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development, after it failed to provide a Punjabi translation of the Punjab Divyangjan Empowerment Scheme, 2021 notification, in breach of the Punjab State Language Act. A complaint by resident Kiran Kumari revealed that the 19-page notification was neither available in Punjabi, nor uploaded in the regional language on the department's official website.

Kiran filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and was informed that no Punjabi version was available, despite the scheme's direct relevance to nearly 6.5 lakh persons with disabilities, constituting about 2.14 per cent of the state's population according to the 2011 Census. The Divyangjan Empowerment Scheme provides various facilities, rights and welfare measures for persons with disabilities. However, the absence of a Punjabi translation has limited access to critical information for many intended beneficiaries.
"For a welfare scheme meant for the needy and vulnerable sections, availability in the regional language is essential. The Supreme Court has also issued clear directives that such policies and schemes must be accessible in local languages," she said. Jaswant Singh Jafar, director of the Punjab Language Department, confirmed that the department has the authority under the Punjab State Language Act to impose penalties on departments that violate language norms. "If instructions are ignored repeatedly, the Act empowers us to impose fines on the concerned department," he stated.
Vijay Walia and Gurmeet Singh, language activists who have campaigned for Punjabi translations of central laws, resent the continued neglect. "It is deeply unfortunate that even decades-old laws and important welfare schemes are still not available in Punjabi. This denies workers and citizens their right to information," they said.
The incident has rekindled debate over the govt's commitment to implementing the Punjab State Language Act in letter and spirit, with activists demanding stricter enforcement to ensure consistent use of Punjabi in governance and public communication.

No Normalisation In SBI Clerk 2025 Mains Exam, Check RTI Reply

Bankers Adda: National: Wednesday, December 24, 2025.
According to RTI reply, it has been confirmed that the SBI Clerk 2025 Mains Exam was held in a single shift. As the exam was in one shift, so normalisation will not be applicable. Candidates can check the complete details in the given article.

A major update has come for candidates who appeared in the SBI Clerk 2025 Mains Exam. Through an RTI reply, the State Bank of India has clearly stated that no normalisation will be applied in the examination. This clarification has put an end to widespread confusion among aspirants regarding score calculation and fairness of evaluation.
RTI Confirms SBI Clerk Mains 2025 Held In Single Shift
As per the RTI reply issued by SBI, the SBI Clerk Mains 2025 Exam was conducted in only a single shift. Since normalisation is applied only when an exam is held in multiple shifts, the bank has confirmed that there is no requirement for normalisation in this stage.
What Does The RTI Reply Say?

• According to the RTI response:
• The SBI Clerk Mains Exam 2025 was conducted in a single shift.
• Hence, no score normalisation is applicable.
• Recruitment is currently under process.
• Certain information related to final outcomes will be shared after completion of the recruitment process.
• Information related to future events is not covered under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005.

This makes it clear that raw marks obtained by candidates will be considered directly for merit preparation.
Why Normalisation Is Not Applicable In SBI Clerk Mains 2025?
Normalisation is generally used to balance difficulty levels when exams are conducted across multiple shifts. Since SBI has officially confirmed that the Mains exam was held in only one shift, all candidates faced the same paper under identical conditions. Therefore:

• No scaling.
• No adjustment of marks.
• Final merit will be based on actual marks scored.

Impact On SBI Clerk Mains Result 2025
With no normalisation, candidates can expect:

• Transparent evaluation
• Fair merit ranking
• Direct reflection of performance in scores
• Reduced ambiguity during result declaration

This clarification is especially important for candidates calculating their expected cut-off and selection chances.

J&K Govt replies in RTI of top issues but Tehsildar JDA refuses ?

Cross Town: Jammu: Wednesday, December 24, 2025.

There are countless questions on working of JKAS Officer working as Tehsildar , JDA, who is showing her supremacy over lot of issues superseding Div Com, VC & DCs clear cut observations & misquotes various sections of RTI act & providing false information .
One can see through various publications that Law Department has replied in a RTI that the Advocate General’s post in Jammu and Kashmir is lying vacant for more than a year following D C Raina’s resignation, followed by other RTI replies by other departments on various issues, like details of various permissions along with order copies by DC Office etc etc but the boss Tehsildar in a RTI reply by an applicant for seeking noting of her file did not reply information by quoting Sec 8(1)(b), which is against RTI Act & Law /rules over the issue.

She also over the issue of NOCs pending on BP Cases in JDA in first said no NOC is pending but in Ist Appeal said 13 NOCs are pending & 3rdly other observations of reply were in contradiction but DLM being the Ist Appellant Authority did not act on her on negligence.

Punjab CIC pulls up Amritsar MC over missing records of commercial complex

 Times of India: Chandigarh: Wednesday, December 24, 2025.
Pulling up the Amritsar municipal corporation over its inability to trace records of a prominent commercial complex, the Punjab Chief Information Commissioner issued detailed directions, flagging serious concerns over record management, enforcement of building bylaws, and accountability under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

The bench, headed by Chief Information Commissioner Inderpal Singh, examined an appeal filed by a resident seeking information related to a multi-storeyed commercial complex in Amritsar. The appellant sought details including the ownership of the property, sanctioned building plans, parking provisions, violations from the approved plan, if any, and the action taken thereon.
During the proceedings, the respondent public information officer submitted that in the absence of a general registration number, the town planning wing of the Amritsar municipal corporation was unable to trace records of the prominent commercial complex, Ganpati Tower, situated on Lawrence Road. However, it was admitted that information related to the property tax department was retrieved and supplied to the appellant.
The respondent further claimed that no construction activity of any nature took place in recent years, including the period preceding the filing of the appeal. It was also submitted that no on-site survey was conducted as no complaint requiring such action was received by the department. The respondent asserted that any action regarding the compounding of violations, if any, could not be undertaken since an RTI application cannot be treated as a complaint under the RTI Act, 2005.
At the same time, the commission noted that the department remained silent on the issue that the property in question is a large commercial complex, comprising more than 75 shops spread over five floors. The complex is located in a posh area of the city and, according to the appellant, lacks adequate parking facilities for commuters. The appellant sought information precisely on these aspects.
The commission recorded that it was not satisfied with the plea taken by the municipal corporation's town planning wing that information relating to the sanctioned map could not be retrieved from official records. It also noted that the Department of Local Government has its own Chief Vigilance Officer and deals with a large number of complaint cases across the state.
Keeping these aspects in view, the commission, exercising powers under Section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005, directed that a copy of the order be sent to the principal secretary to the Govt of Punjab, dept of local government, for enquiry. The commission sought a specific report to be submitted on or before the next date of hearing on January 14, 2026, on several issues, including whether the respondent's stand that the GR number must be obtained from the owner is justified even when complete details and address of the building have been disclosed; whether any action has been taken by the department so far to retrieve building plan details on its own; whether municipal corporations in the state are capable of retrieving building plan information independently; and whether a commercial building can be constructed without adequate parking facilities.

HC directs Telangana govt to upload all GOs on official website

Social News: Hyderabad: Wednesday, December 24, 2025.
The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to upload all Government Orders (GOs), circulars, rules and notifications on its official website.

Single-judge bench took serious note that most of the GOs have not been uploaded on the official website.
Justice Surepalli Nanda observed that citizens have an unquestionable right to access government decisions and policies that affect public life.
The judge directed officials to strictly adhere to the guidelines prescribed in GO 4 of April 10, 2017, which mandates comprehensive online publication of all official documents for public access.
The judge observed that transparency in governance is not a choice but a fundamental requirement of democracy.
The court was hearing a writ petition filed by Errolla Srinivas, former chairman of Telangana SC/ST Commission.
The petitioner argued that the government intentionally and deliberately failed to upload the GOs, thus depriving citizens of their right to know and creating an environment ripe for corruption.
The petitioner’s counsel submitted to the court the data obtained under the Right to Information Act.
In reply to an RTI query by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA T. Harish Rao, the Information Technology Electronics and Communications Department informed that out of 19,064 GOs issued between December 7, 2023 and January 26, 2025, only 3,290 GOs are available in the public domain.
As many as 15,774 GOs are not available in the public domain, reveals the RTI reply.
Meanwhile, reacting to the High Court order, Harish Rao said that it is a slap in the face of the so-called people's government.
In a post on ‘X’, the former minister told Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, that it's not enough to call yourself a “people's government”. “You should reveal what you are secretly doing behind the veil of these dark government orders,” he said.
Harish Rao stated that the drama being enacted by the Congress government, which came to power claiming to provide people's rule, by concealing these GOs, has been exposed through the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the High Court by senior BRS leader, Errolla Srinivas, based on an RTI response.
Source: IANS

HC stays RTI disclosure of lecturer’s personal records

Times of India: Raipur: Wednesday, December 24, 2025.
The Chhattisgarh high court granted interim relief to a school lecturer by staying the release of his personal service records under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. Justice Parth Prateem Sahu issued notices to the state school education department and other parties after the petitioner alleged the information was being sought to harass him.

Petitioner works as a Sanskrit lecturer at the Swami Atmanand Excellent Hindi Medium Government Higher Secondary School in Korba district. Three individuals, identified as journalists and another person, filed RTI applications seeking the lecturer's service book, educational certificates, caste certificate, appointment order, and domicile documents.
The block education officer (BEO) of Katghora, acting as the public information officer, directed the school principal to provide these documents despite the lecturer refusing to give his consent.
Representing the petitioner, counsel Mateen Siddiqui and Apurva Pandey argued that personal details of a govt employee fall under the category of ‘personal information' as per the Supreme Court ruling in Girish R Deshpande vs CIC. They stated that such information has no direct link to public interest and is protected under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act.
The HC sought responses from the Secretary of the School Education Department, the Director of Public Instruction (DPI), the Chief Information Commissioner, and the concerned education officers in Korba.