RTI Not A Tool To Obtain Others' Exam Answer Sheets: Karnataka High Court Rejects Activist's Plea For KPSC Answer Script Disclosure

Live Law: Karnataka: Sunday, November 30, 2025.

The Karnataka High Court recently said that merely being a Right to Information activist would not give a person the right to seek answer scripts of a person who had appeared for the exam conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
A single judge, Justice Suraj Govindaraj said thus while dismissing the petition filed by one Intak Raju N, who claimed to be a RTI activist and President of the Mysore District Right to Information and Human Rights Protection Association.
The petitioner had made an application for furnishing the answer script of one of the candidates who had appeared for the examination conducted by the Excise Department.
It was his contention that the said person has been appointed and as such, the answer scripts were sought for. The said application was rejected by the Public Information Officer, First Appellate Authority as also the Karnataka Information Commission.
The bench noted that what has been sought for by the petitioner is essentially an answer script of a person who had appeared in the exam and not that of the petitioner himself in any way.
Following which it held “The petitioner had not appeared for the exam but only claims to be a Right to Information Activist. The petitioner cannot be said to be aggrieved by the said person, having succeeded in the examination.”
Accordingly, it dismissed the petition.
(Click here to DownloadOrder)

Strict action if written RTI applications are rejected, warns State Information Commission

The Hindu: Kerala: Sunday, November 30, 2025.

The Kerala State Information Commission has cautioned that strict action will be taken against offices refusing to accept the Right to Information (RTI) applications submitted on paper. State Information Commissioner K. M. Dileep has said the Commission has received multiple complaints that several offices insist on online applications and decline handwritten ones.
He was speaking after a hearing conducted at the Thrissur Collectorate on Saturday.
Dr. Dileep clarified that the RTI Act mandates acceptance of applications submitted not only through K-SMART or RTI online portals, but also those filed in writing. “If an applicant is unable to submit the request in writing, the Public Information Officer is legally required to assist them by preparing the written application,” he said.
The Commission made this observation while hearing a complaint by Anto D. Ollukkaran, who alleged that his RTI application submitted on paper was refused by an office.
At the hearing held under the chairmanship of Dr. Dileep, 49 appeals were disposed of out of the 53 taken up for consideration. Four appeals were postponed for later review.
The appeals heard on Friday were related to departments including Local Self-Governments, Health, Police, Taxes, and Forests.

Goa University told to share prof’s certificates with RTI applicant

Times of India: Ahmedabad: Sunday, November 30, 2025.
Goa State Information Commission has directed Goa University to furnish certified copies of the degree, master’s, and PhD certificates of a professor at Goa University within 10 days to an RTI applicant.

The commission held that the educational qualification certificates (degree, master’s, and PhD) submitted to Goa University by Prof. Shaila D’Souza at the time of joining as a member of the teaching faculty at Goa University are in the possession of the university and “cannot be denied” under the RTI Act. They cannot be claimed to be “personal information of a third party”.
“The moment the said certificates are submitted to Goa University (public authority in the present appeal), such certificates become part of the records/documents held by Goa University,” stated state chief information commissioner, GSIC Aravind Kumar Nair.
Nazario Savio Paul D’Souza stated that he was not provided information by the PIO and by the first appellate authority under the RTI Act in respect of D’Souza of the Centre for Women’s Studies at Goa University. The PIO stated that this information is “third party information and cannot be provided under Section 11 of the RTI Act, 2005”. The commission has called for a compliance report to be submitted to the commission within 15 days.

RTI activist slams 'wasteful' spending at Belagavi's Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, demands transparency

 Deccan Herald: Belagavi: Saturday, 29 November 2025.
Calling the expenditure “wasteful” and “beyond acceptable limits,” Gadad warned that if the government fails to rein in such misuse of public funds, a legal battle may be unavoidable.

Vidhana Soudha file photoCredit: DH File Photo

After a Right to Information query revealed large-scale expenditure on furniture and oil portraits inside the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha (SVS) in Belagavi, activist Bhimappa Gadad has demanded full transparency on the spending.
Calling the expenditure “wasteful” and “beyond acceptable limits,” Gadad warned that if the government fails to rein in such misuse of public funds, a legal battle may be unavoidable.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Gadad disclosed details obtained through the RTI Act, revealing that Rs 42,93,940 was spent on crafting a new chair and table for the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In addition, Rs 1,98,240 was spent on refurbishing the plywood, upholstery and cushions of the Legislative Council Speaker’s chair. Gadad said such figures raise serious questions about fiscal responsibility and prioritisation of state resources.
According to the RTI documents, another Rs 67,67,964 was utilised to prepare and install 11 oil portraits of distinguished figures associated with the Anubhav Mantap, along with an extra painting. All artworks were produced by well-known artists. This amount surpasses the previous expenditure of Rs 36,60,000 incurred in 2011 to create furniture for the President’s visit during the inauguration of the SVS.
Gadad further stated that the government had earlier approved Rs 13,34,564 on February 27, 2023, for seven portraits measuring 8x5 feet, painted by reputed state artists. However, a review team from the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, instructed by the Speaker, inspected the portraits and concluded in a report dated October 25, 2025, that many paintings did not resemble the actual personalities. Following this assessment, the government issued a fresh order releasing Rs 28,49,200 to produce new oil paintings.
In addition, Rs 25,84,200 was sanctioned on February 4, 2025, for installing the Anubhav Mantap artwork on the first floor’s western wing and for handing over the Mahatma Gandhi portrait, an artwork that has drawn significant artistic appreciation across Karnataka.
With close to Rs 68 lakh spent on portraits and Rs 43 lakh on the Speaker’s chair, Gadad said citizens are increasingly questioning how such decisions were taken and who authorised the expenditures. He also urged the government to allow free public access to these artworks and appoint guides, similar to those in the tourism department.

‘Sorry’ not enough: Nadiad deputy collector and public information officer fined Rs 5,000for delaying RTI information in Gujarat

Times of India: Ahmedabad: Saturday, 29 November 2025.
The Gujarat State Information Commission has penalised Nadiad deputy collector and public information officer Nirbhay Gondaliya with a Rs 5,000 fine for not providing RTI information within the mandated period and for asking the applicant to visit his office to collect the documents. The commission stated that this step violated the RTI Act and was "contrary to the spirit of the Act".

The case stems from an RTI application submitted by Hemant Patel on April 21, 2025, seeking a copy of an order passed in RTS Appeal No. 104/2006. Despite the legal requirement to reply within 30 days, no information was provided. Instead, on May 5, the PIO informed Patel that the record was old and that a "search was ongoing", assuring him that he would be updated once it was found. Patel later filed a first appeal, after which the First Appellate Authority, on July 2, ordered that the information be provided within five days.
However, no information was supplied even after this order. According to the commission, Gondaliya later admitted that he asked Patel to come to the office personally to collect the documents. The commission noted, "Directing the applicant to visit the office is equivalent to knowingly delaying information." It reiterated that the RTI Act contains no provision allowing a PIO to summon an applicant to the office.
It was only after the commission issued a notice for the second appeal hearing that the PIO sent the information on Nov 8 months after the deadline and dispatched it via speed post on Nov 11.
During the hearing via video conference, when asked to explain why action under Section 20(1) should not be taken for delay and misconduct, the PIO offered only a single-word defence: "SORRY". The commission recorded that "the officer provided no clarification other than a mere apology", establishing that the delay was intentional.
State chief information commissioner Subhash Soni observed that the PIO failed both to respect statutory timelines and to follow the First Appellate Authority's instruction. He ruled that Gondaliya's conduct violated the Act's mandate to assist applicants and ensure timely information delivery.
The commission ordered him to deposit the Rs 5,000 penalty within seven days, failing which the amount will be deducted from his salary. The collector of Kheda has been directed to report compliance by Dec 10.

Cabinet okays reforms, all registered societies in Punjab to come under RTI

Hindustan Times: Chandigarh: Saturday, 29 November 2025.
Industries and power minister Sanjeev Arora said the new legislation modernises the regulatory framework governing societies, especially those engaged in health, education, sports, social welfare and charitable activities.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann chairing the cabinet
meeting on Friday. (HT Photo)

In a move aimed at bringing greater transparency and accountability in the societies operating in the state, the Punjab cabinet on Friday gave its nod to the Societies Registration (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2025, amending the historic Societies Act of 1860. Among the major provisions of the Act is bringing all the registered societies under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Industries and power minister Sanjeev Arora said the new legislation modernises the regulatory framework governing societies, especially those engaged in health, education, sports, social welfare and charitable activities.
“The amendments bring all societies under a uniform, transparent regime, ensuring responsible use of public funds and tax-exempt resources. According to the new act, all registered societies in Punjab will now be mandatorily covered under the RTI Act, ensuring public scrutiny, transparency in decision-making and greater public trust,” said Arora.
He said the Act also empowers registrars to seek any information or records from societies to ensure compliance with law and prevent misuse of funds or deviation from stated objectives.
Mandatory five-year renewal of societies
Arora said after the Act is passed in the Vidhan Sabha, all societies will be required to renew their registration every five years to ensure active functioning, accurate records, and periodic verification of their objectives and management.
“All existing societies in Punjab must re-register under the amended Act within one year from its enforcement, bringing them under the new compliance and transparency framework,” said Arora.
The minister also disclosed that a name of the society already in use within the same jurisdiction, or a deceptively similar name that may mislead the public, won’t be allowed.
“Few people use names and words such as anti-terror front, government or any other word with an aim to deceive the people. That won’t be allowed under the new act,” said Arora.
The Act also prohibits societies from selling, transferring or disposing of immovable property without the prior approval of the registrar, thus preventing unauthorised transactions and safeguarding public assets.
In another major regulation, the deputy commissioners (DCs), in areas where societies are registered, have been empowered to order inquiries through an officer of the rank of tehsildar in case of complaints.
“If wrongdoing is detected and not corrected within the prescribed time, appoint an SDM-level administrator to take charge and restore proper functioning,” said the minister.
Many charitable institutions avail income tax benefits by registering as societies. The Act ensures such organisations follow strict compliance and accountability norms to continue receiving such exemptions.
Nod to empanel 300 specialist doctors
The cabinet also gave its nod to empanel 300 specialist doctors across 12 key specialties, including medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry, dermatology, chest & TB, surgery, gynecology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, ENT, and anaesthesiology across government health facilities, with an aim to meet the shortage of specialist doctors. The Punjab government has not been able to attract an adequate number of specialists in recruitments done over the past few years. The empanelment of specialists will be done at district-level through civil surgeons and the empanelled specialist shall be entitled to an empanelment fee per patient for various services such as OPD, IPD, emergency calls, major & minor surgeries and procedures and others.
The Act also mandates that if an elected managing committee is dissolved or an administrator is appointed, fresh elections must be conducted within six months, ensuring democratic functioning of societies.
Finance minister Harpal Cheema said private doctors will get ₹100 incentives both in IPD and OPD. However, a cap has been set on the number of patients these specialists can examine -- between 50 and 150 in the OPD, and two to twenty in the IPD, the minister added. Cheema said if a specialist government doctor, who is on night duty, is called at day time, they will get an incentive of ₹1,000. If the doctor is not on duty during night hours, but is called during the period, then the incentive will double.
Nod to frame minor mineral rules
The cabinet also gave approval to Punjab minor minerals rules 2013 in accordance with the Punjab state minor minerals (Amendment) Policy, 2025. These new rules/ modifications were needed to be added/ substituted in the existing Punjab minor minerals rules 2013 for allocation of mining rights to mining lease holders of crusher mining sites and landowner mining sites to be allotted in the state.

Parliament Requests Extension on RTI Query Over Former Minister’s Military Records

News Ghana: Ghana: Friday, 28 November 2025.

Bryan Acheampong

Parliament has requested an extra week to respond to a Right to Information (RTI) application seeking clarity on the United States Air Force service records of Dr. Bryan Acheampong, Member of Parliament for Abetifi and former Minister for Food and Agriculture. The request for an extension follows the expiration of the statutory 14 day window within which public institutions are mandated to respond to information requests, as stipulated under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).
The RTI application was filed on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, and received by Parliament on the same day. A Ghanaian citizen filed the request in November to determine whether Parliament had received and archived documents relating to Dr. Acheampong’s stated service in the US Air Force from 2005 to 2009.
During his vetting before the Appointments Committee on February 20, 2023, Dr. Acheampong declined to publicly disclose the rank with which he enlisted and the rank at discharge. He insisted that the details were of a sensitive nature and would only be made available to the leadership of Parliament, along with what he described as his honourable discharge certificate.
When questioned by Member of Parliament Kwame Agbodza about the rank at which he was enlisted and the rank at which he left the US Air Force, Dr. Acheampong stated that all details of his operations at National Security should not be shared, but he could provide that to the leadership of the house. Repeated questions from MPs, including Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and Kwame Agbodza, did not elicit a definitive response.
Dr. Acheampong maintained that he would submit the documents privately to the committee. He told the Appointments Committee that when leaving the military, one receives either an honourable certificate or a dishonourable one, promising to produce his honourable discharge certificate immediately after the sitting, which would detail everything he did in the military.
According to information available, the Clerk to Parliament has informed the applicant, identified as Ticket Number 59, that the records are not readily accessible. He explained that any such documentation would have been submitted during the 8th Parliament, whose term ended on January 6, 2025. With a new Appointments Committee Chairman now in place under the 9th Parliament, the Clerk requested additional time to trace the documents.
The RTI applicant asked Parliament to confirm whether it received details of Dr. Acheampong’s enlistment and discharge ranks from the US Air Force, whether an honourable discharge certificate or any related documents were submitted, and if so, requested certified copies or sufficient extracts from those documents.
The applicant stated the decision was premised on a matter of public interest concerning statements made by Dr. Acheampong during his vetting. The applicant argues that the information is of significant public interest, given the former minister’s reliance on national security grounds to avoid public disclosure during his vetting.
The Ghanaian citizen has also petitioned the United States Embassy in Accra to verify the records of Dr. Acheampong regarding his service in the Air Force. Further investigation is underway amid allegations about the former minister’s past business dealings.
In 2023, documents allegedly from the US military’s National Personnel Records Center were published, showing Dr. Acheampong’s status as discharged, with his assignment given as National Guard Rhode Island. The documents indicated he was trained at Fuels Apprentice School and received the Air Force Training Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Dr. Acheampong has served as Member of Parliament for the Abetifi Constituency in Ghana’s Eastern Region since January 2017. He previously held the position of Minister of Food and Agriculture from February 2023 to January 2025 under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

Halal Food On Trains? Indian Railways Breaks Silence After RTI & NHRC Notice

ABP Live: National: Friday, 28 November 2025.
In its reply, a senior Railway Board official stated that Indian Railways and IRCTC maintain strict adherence to food safety and quality standards while serving meals to passengers.

Questions continue to be raised over whether passengers on Indian Railways are being served halal-certified meat, prompting an individual to file an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking an official answer. The query eventually reached the Central Information Commission (CIC), leading to a formal response from Indian Railways. In its submission to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Railway Board has now clarified that there is no official provision for the sale or serving of halal-certified food onboard trains. The matter has sparked a wider debate around food certification norms and passenger rights.
Railways Responds To RTI Query
The issue surfaced after a complaint was recently filed with the National Human Rights Commission against Indian Railways. The complaint alleged that passengers who consume non-vegetarian meals on trains are being served only halal-processed meat. The complainant argued that this amounts to discriminatory practice and claimed it was a violation of human rights, which prompted the NHRC to issue a notice to the Railway Board.
In its reply, a senior Railway Board official stated that Indian Railways and IRCTC maintain strict adherence to food safety and quality standards while serving meals to passengers. According to the statement, the meals served are prepared in compliance with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines, and there is no government rule mandating the serving of halal-certified meat. The official reiterated that there is no official provision to serve halal-certified food on Indian Railways and rejected claims that such meat is being supplied exclusively.
The Railway Board also confirmed that a similar question had been submitted before the Chief Information Commissioner under the RTI Act. The applicant sought clarification on whether non-vegetarian meals served on trains used halal-processed meat.
The Railways presented its position before the CIC and stated clearly that halal-certified food is not served. It added that IRCTC focuses strictly on food quality and passenger safety. The Railways further noted that there is no guideline or instruction issued to IRCTC regarding halal certification, making the claims of exclusive halal meat serving unfounded and unsubstantiated.

Four years on, BDO warned for dishing out inconsistent RTI info

The Times of India: Chennai: Friday, 28 November 2025.
After four years of contradictory replies and shifting claims, the state information panel has warned the deputy block development officer of St Thomas Mount panchayat union for misleading both an RTI applicant and the commission.

However it chose to be lenient, sparing the official of a penalty even though the observation came in the non-compliance petition over the commission's earlier order, while the original petition sought information four years ago.
In 2021, G Venkatesan of Medavakkam filed a petition under the RTI Act seeking details of the records of a complaint regarding a construction on govt encroached land in St Thomas Mount panchayat union without proper approvals.
Later, he filed a complaint petition before the state information commission, and in 2023, the commission ordered the public information officer to allow the petitioner to peruse the relevant documents in person and provide a copy of the details he sought for free if the pages did not exceed 100 pages.
The commission warned of action if the order was not obeyed.
In 2024, the petitioner lodged a non-compliance petition stating that the commission's order was not complied with. On Nov 19, the complaint petition came up for hearing before the chief election commissioner Md Shakeel Akhter.
PIO A Gomathi submitted that the reply was sent to the petitioner in Jan this year. Recording that the reply was sent much later than the deadline set by the commission, the chief commissioner directed the then PIO Anbazhagan to show cause why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him.

Andhra Minister Lokesh paid for air travel from own pocket, reveal RTI documents

AP7AM: Amaravati: Friday, 28 November 2025.
Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh used his own money for financing his 77 flights to Hyderabad, said replies to applications filed by an activist under the Right To Information (RTI) Act.

Replies from various departments which are under the Minister show that he has not claimed travelling expenses.
Nara Lokesh is the Minister for Human Resources Development, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications and Real Time Governance.
He is the son of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said that the claims made by Opposition YSR Congress Party that Lokesh travelled to Hyderabad 77 times by a special aircraft proved 'blatant lies'.
"None of these are personal trips, yet Minister Nara Lokesh funded these tours from his own pocket," the TDP said in a post on X.
"It has been revealed through an application filed by an RTI activist that Minister Nara Lokesh has not taken even a single rupee from the Human Resources, IT, Electronics, and Real Time Governance departments, which he manages, for these tours," it added.
The TDP also posted replies from the departments concerned to RTI queries by Kodamala Suresh Babu of Guntur district.
Higher Education Department, Skill Development and Training Department, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications and Department of Real Time Governance sent replies to the applications filed by the activist under the RTI application.
As per the replies from all four departments, Minister Nara Lokesh for not claiming travelling expenses.
YSRCP leaders have been criticising Minister Nara Lokesh for his frequent air trips to Hyderabad.
They had accused the Minister of misusing public money for personal visits.
They claimed that Lokesh travelled to Hyderabad by flight 77 times since TDP-led coalition came to power 18 months ago.
According to the YSRCP leaders, the Minister was visiting Hyderabad every week.
With replies to RTI queries making it clear that Minister Lokesh paid for those flights from his own pocket, the TDP leaders have hit back at the YSRCP leaders.
The ruling TDP leaders accused the opposition YSRCP of making baseless allegations against the Minister.

Goa University pulled up as SIC declares faculty certificates public under RTI Act

Daijiworld: Panaji: Thursday, 27 November 2025.
In a significant setback to Goa University’s claim that faculty qualifications are “personal information,” the Goa State Information Commission has ruled that academic certificates submitted during recruitment are public documents and must be disclosed under the Right to Information Act.

Delivering a strong order, State Chief Information Commissioner Aravind Nair overturned the First Appellate Authority’s decision and directed the University to furnish the Degree, Master’s and PhD certificates of Prof Shaila D’Souza within 10 days. He held that such documents cannot be protected under Section 8(1)(j) nor treated as “third party information.”
Nair observed that once educational certificates are submitted to a public authority for employment, they become part of official service records and fall squarely in the public domain.
Any attempt to withhold them, he said, undermines transparency in public recruitment. “These documents are with Goa University, and they cannot be denied as someone’s personal information,” the Commission stated.
The ruling follows an appeal filed by Nazario Savio P. D’Souza of St Cruz, who had sought 30 details from the University’s Administration (Teaching) section on September 30, 2024. The Public Information Officer responded partly, marking 14 items as “Not Available,” seven as “Third Party,” three as “questions,” and another under Section 8(1)(g), citing confidentiality of the selection panel.
Challenging the selective replies, the applicant moved the First Appellate Authority, which ordered corrections only for the “Not Available” entries while upholding the refusal to release the professor’s certificates on grounds of lack of consent.
Still unable to obtain key documents, the appellant approached the State Information Commission on April 1, 2025.
In its ruling, the SIC stressed that citizens have every right to verify the qualifications of individuals appointed by publicly funded institutions. Ordering complete disclosure, it directed the University PIO to issue certified copies of all three academic certificates within 10 days and submit a compliance report within 15 days of receiving the order.

Gujarat: PIO fined Rs 5k for denying RTI info citing ‘12 applications’ rule

 The Times of India: Ahmedabad: Thursday, 27 November 2025.
In a stern move against misuse of its orders, the Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 on the Public Information Officer (PIO) of Sarigam gram panchayat for denying information to an applicant after misinterpreting an earlier commission directive.

The commission has also recommended disciplinary action against the taluka development officer, who served as the first appellate authority, for negligence in the discharge of his duties. The case involved petitioner Pankaj Rai, who had sought documents related to the allotment of house numbers and construction permits.
The PIO rejected his RTI application on grounds that he had filed more than 12 RTI applications a restriction the commission had imposed on specific applicants in an order dated Feb 1, 2025. However, the GIC clarified that the order was not meant for ordinary citizens.
"The order dated Feb 1, 2025, applies only to the petitioner. It does not apply to any ordinary applicant," the commission stated in its ruling.
Despite the clear scope of the original order, the PIO denied the information, and the first appellate authority upheld the denial without proper scrutiny of the facts.
Taking a serious view of this lapse, the commission not only imposed the financial penalty but also directed that it be recovered from the PIO's salary. Additionally, it recommended disciplinary proceedings against the taluka development officer for failing to examine the appeal properly.
At the same time, the commission rejected the petitioner's request for specific documents, ruling that they belonged to a third party and were exempt from disclosure under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. These included personal details such as names, addresses, property transfer records and construction permits, which the commission deemed confidential in the absence of any demonstrated substantial public interest.
The ruling comes amid widespread misuse of the "12 applications" restriction by PIOs across Gujarat. Expressing concern over this trend, the commission stated that it hoped "henceforth the misinterpretation of the orders will be stopped, and citizens will get relief".

Information from Insolvency Professionals is Exempt Under RTI Act: IBBI - By - Yogitha S. Yoges

Taxscan: Delhi: Thursday, 27 November 2025.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has dismissed an appeal, reiterating that information provided by Insolvency Professionals to the regulator is held in a fiduciary capacity and is exempt from disclosure under Section 8(1)(e) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The order further clarified that the RTI Act is not a grievance redressal forum and that the appellant should use the specific review mechanisms provided under the IBBI regulations.
The Appellant, Nirav Tarkas, had filed an RTI application seeking certified copies of all correspondence and submissions made by the Liquidator of Euro Ceramics Limited to the IBBI. This information was in relation to a complaint he had filed against the Liquidator.
Aggrieved by the CPIO's denial, which claimed the information was exempt under a fiduciary relationship, the Appellant filed an appeal arguing that Section 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act had been wrongly applied. His appeal also raised specific grievances about the procedure of the complaint handling, questioning why he was not given an opportunity to rebut the Liquidator's averments.
The IBBI, represented by its First Appellate Authority, upheld the CPIO's decision. The Authority relied on a Supreme Court observation to establish that the relationship between the regulator (IBBI) and the Insolvency Professional is fiduciary in nature. This is because Insolvency Professionals are legally obligated to maintain confidentiality and provide information to the IBBI in a relationship of trust and reliance. Therefore, the information sought by the Appellant was held in a fiduciary capacity and was rightfully exempt from disclosure under Section 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act.
The Authority further noted that the Appellant had failed to demonstrate any larger public interest that would necessitate disclosure. Crucially, the order distinguished between seeking information and redressing a grievance, stating that the RTI Act is not a grievance forum.
The Appellant's dissatisfaction with the complaint-handling process, the order suggested, should be addressed by filing a review under the specific provisions of the IBBI (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) Regulations, 2017, rather than through an RTI application.

Karnataka Information Commission orders KMF to disclose officials foreign trip details under RTI

The Hindu: Bengaluru: Thursday, 27 November 2025.

The Karnataka Information Commission has pulled up officials of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) and the district milk unions for refusing to share information on their foreign trips, after the officers rejected Right to Information (RTI) applications by claiming that their institutions were not public authorities covered under the RTI Act, 2004. The order came in two related cases where the applicants were denied basic details of the trip.
According to the commission’s order, the KMF officers had repeatedly declined to share the information sought by citizens under the RTI, arguing that they do not fall within the definition of a “public authority” and therefore are not required to respond under the RTI Act. The commission examined the matter and noted that KMF is a cooperative institution that receives substantial financial assistance from the state government, works under various government statutes, and performs functions that have a clear public character.
The commission also noted that when public funds or government-backed resources are involved, citizens have the right to know how the money is used. Such information, the commission observed, is expected to be available to citizens under the RTI Act, 2004.
The commission has directed the public information officers (PIOs) to provide the complete set of records asked in the RTI applications, including all documents related to the foreign tour, such as sanction letters, reasons for the visit, and cost details. The PIOs have been asked to report compliance to the commissioner after supplying the information.

Commission rebukes officers for arbitrary denial of RTI information

Counterview: Ahmedabad: Thursday, 27 November 2025.

The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has imposed a penalty of ₹5,000 on the Public Information Officer (Talati-cum-Minister) of Sarigam Gram Panchayat in Valsad district for denying information to an RTI applicant by misinterpreting an earlier order of the Commission.
The Commission has also recommended disciplinary action against the Taluka Development Officer of Umargam, who acted as the First Appellate Authority, for negligence of duty.
The case pertains to a petition filed by applicant Pankaj Kamalashankar Rai regarding RTI queries submitted on documents related to house number allotment and construction permits involving R. Aggarwal Industries. The PIO rejected the request, claiming that the petitioner had submitted more than 12 RTI applications, allegedly exceeding a permissible limit. The First Appellate Authority upheld the denial on the same grounds.
However, at a hearing held on 14 November 2025, the Commission clarified that its earlier February 2025 order—issued in Appeal Nos. A-2178-2024 and A-2739-2024—restricting specific applicants from filing more than 12 applications was applicable only to those particular applicants and not to the general public.
The Commission observed that officers across the state had begun demanding “confirmation forms” from RTI applicants and rejecting requests on the grounds of exceeding 12 applications, leading to widespread harassment and unnecessary appeals.
While penalising the PIO, the Commission noted that both the PIO and First Appellate Authority denied information without proper examination and by deliberately misinterpreting the order. It called the conduct a failure of duty and recommended action under the Discipline and Appeal Rules.
However, the Commission ultimately rejected the applicant’s requested information since it pertained to third-party records protected under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, which covers personal details such as name, address, property transfer and construction permissions. The Commission found no demonstrated larger public interest to justify disclosure.
Social activists hope that the ruling will put an end to incorrect interpretation of the “12 RTI applications” order and provide relief to citizens facing arbitrary rejection of information requests.

RTI Reveals Delhi Government Wastes ₹38 Lakh On Artificial Rain Experiment : Snehal Srivastava

Outlook India: New Delhi: Wednesday, 26 November 2025.
An RTI filed by activist Ajay Bose reveals the Delhi government paid ₹37.9 lakh to IIT-Kanpur for cloud seeding trials that produced no rain.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa addressing a press conference over cloud seeding at Delhi Secretariat on July 1, 2025 in New Delhi, India. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approved the Delhi government s plan to try artificial rain for immediate relief in case of worsening pollution levels in the national capital. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier approved the pilot project to try artificial rain. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced the trial of artificial rain will be held between August 30 and September 10. The first artificial rain pilot project of the Delhi government is completely ready.  Imago /Hindustan Times

A recent RTI revealed that the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi Government spent nearly Rs 38 Lakhs on their artificial rain experiment. The entire amount of Rs 37,93,420 was paid to IIT-Kanpur, which was assigned the project to produce artificial rain via cloud seeding methods using their aircraft. The Delhi government undertook this project as an attempt to improve the deteriorating air quality.
Filed earlier this month by RTI activist Ajay Bose, the information revealed the cost of the Delhi government’s ambitious project to clear the capital’s toxic smog. The effort proved futile on 28 October, as both cloud seeding attempts overseen by IIT Kanpur failed to produce any rainfall.
An initiative already criticised by some scientists as a gimmick, unscientific and political theatre was thus confirmed as an expensive failure.
Initial estimates had pegged the cost of artificial rain to be around ₹1.2 to 1.3 crore, which is almost forty per cent of the Delhi government’s budget of ₹ 3.2 crore for the cloud seeding trials, according to The New Indian Express.
IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agarwal, too, estimated the cost to be nearly ₹25 crore for an entire winter-long project.
“My back-of-the-envelope calculation is that for continuous seeding through an entire winter season, the cost will be Rs 25 crore or thereabouts,” Agarwal said in a TV interview. “Ideally, one should not need to spend this money. But when there’s an SOS situation, this is the solution available.”
Additionally, he said, “Once things get streamlined and flights operate from near Delhi, all the fixed costs will get amortised. Then the seeding cost will be substantially lower than what these numbers indicate.”
Despite the actual amount spent by the Delhi government ending up being less than what was estimated and intended for the project, this venture by the government highlighted the lack of willingness to take sterner and more effective decisions to cut air pollution in the capital.
Why the ₹37 lakh project failed
On the morning of October 28, IIT Kanpur’s aircraft flew nearly 400 km from Kanpur to Delhi, dispersing a silver iodide mixture over Burari, Mayur Vihar and Karol Bagh to induce rainfall. A second attempt three hours later also failed, and the city’s air quality remained in the “very poor” category.
The next day, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “Rain after seeding could occur anytime in the next 24 hours, depending on cloud moisture. Initial radar readings and ground reports recorded light rainfall at the Delhi–Noida border around 4 pm, indicating some positive response.”
However, Delhi saw no significant rain, only scanty showers near Noida. Scientists blamed the failure on low moisture content in the clouds. Cloud seeding generally requires around 50 per cent moisture, but on the day of the attempt, the clouds contained only 15 per cent. The IIT Kanpur team noted that humidity levels of 10–15 per cent were far below what is considered favourable for success.
IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agarwal said after the ‘dry run’ that cloud seeding cannot be a long-term solution for Delhi’s persistent pollution problem. According to BBC Hindi, he added: “One measure of success is if it rains, which certainly did not happen. The moisture content in the clouds was very low. We will continue our efforts in the near future.”
There were warning signs
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) confirmed to The Hindu that data on cloud cover and humidity were shared with the IIT Kanpur team before the 28 October cloud seeding flight.
A senior MoES scientist said, “We didn’t give any recommendations but shared our input regarding clouds, which was that there were no clouds.” The scientist added that no advice was offered, citing the precedent set by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, whose previous cloud seeding experiments had shown no reliable evidence of success.
IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agarwal responded that the team was aware of the IMD forecasts. “The decision to proceed despite unfavourable cloud conditions was deliberate,” he said, as the team wanted to test the efficacy of their proprietary solution. “We knew there was less than 15 per cent moisture in the clouds, which is too little for seeding, but we needed data to assess our indigenously made salt mixture.”
A separate study from IIT Delhi concluded that Delhi’s winter is climatically unsuitable for consistent cloud seeding, due to low moisture and saturation, particularly during December and January, when pollution peaks. IIT research highlighted that the driest winter conditions coincide with the city’s most severe pollution episodes, making cloud seeding impractical.
Despite this data, previous studies and forecasts pointing to an unfavourable outcome, the ₹38 lakh cloud seeding trial went ahead. Agarwal justified it as “collecting data” and noted it had worked in China and the UAE. Had the project continued, costs could have run into crores, yet it failed even as a short-term solution for Delhi’s air quality.
With the city’s AQI at 382, close to the 'severe' threshold, and a plume of volcanic ash from Ethiopia adding to pollution, it is time for the Delhi government to invest in proven measures to protect the capital’s air.

Over 18 lakh users of society management app Adda exposed in alleged data breach: Report

The Indian Express: New Delhi: Wednesday, 26 November 2025.
The ‘stolen’ data includes owner IDs as well as users’ first and last names, phone numbers, email addresses, and passwords.

A hacker has claimed to be circulating an expansive database relating to lakhs of users of Adda, the community and housing society management platform used by several apartments, villas, and gated independent houses in India as well as other countries.
Using the alias ‘Blinkers’, the hacker uploaded the personal details of over 1.86 million (18.6 lakh) Adda users to a popular hacking forum on late Sunday night, November 23, according to a report by data breach monitoring websites Leakd and HaveIBeenPwned.
The trove of personal data is 145 MB in size, when uncompressed, and has reportedly been circulated among “underground cybercrime communities”. The purportedly stolen data includes owner IDs as well as users’ first and last names, phone numbers, email addresses, and passwords (hashed with redundant MD5 hashing algorithm), as per the report.
The hacker claimed that the data breach was carried out in March 2025. The potential exposure of personally identifiable information in this manner could pose several risks to users. For instance, threat actors could leverage names and phone numbers to initiate phishing attacks. The user credentials that surface from one data breach could also be used by threat actors to attempt to log into user accounts on other platforms. This type of cyber attack is known as credential stuffing.
The Indian Express has reached out to Adda for a confirmation of the alleged breach and will update this report once a response is received.
The allegedly stolen Adda user data has surfaced days after the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules, 2025, were notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), paving the way for India to have a functional data protection law.
While certain provisions of the law such as the Right to Information (RTI) Act amendment and establishment of the Data Protection Board (DPB) of India are currently in force, other sections pertaining to safeguarding citizens are yet to come into effect.
For instance, the requirement for entities to seek informed consent from users before processing their personal data, using their personal data only for specified legitimate uses, and for entities to notify data breaches to users, will all only be operationalised after 18 months.
Though, the compliance timeline may vary for big tech companies and start-ups.
A user’s phone number and email address is classified as ‘personal data’ under the DPDP Act, 2023, which defines ‘personal data breach’ as “any unauthorised processing of personal data or accidental disclosure, acquisition, sharing, use, alteration, destruction or loss of access to personal data, that compromises the confidentiality, integrity or availability of personal data.”
What is ADDA.io?
Adda.io is a digital platform used by residential communities such as apartments, villas, and gated societies to manage daily operations such as visitor management, billing and collection of society dues, sharing community notices, facility booking, assets and inventory management, etc.
The Bengaluru-headquartered company was founded in 2009 by CEO San Banerjee along with CTO Venkat Kandaswamy and Aashika Sripathi. Formerly Apartment Adda, the platform was rebranded to Adda.io in 2019 with a focus on building a private social network at its core. 3Five8 Technologies, the parent company of Adda.io, has several offerings such as an accounting product called Adda Books and Adda Gatekeeper, its gate management solution.
The company has clients in over 10 countries, including India, the US, the Middle East, and Singapore. Its total client base in India exceeds 3,500 Communities with properties of several major developers like DLF, Rustomjee, Prestige, Sobha, Oberoi, Seawoods Estates, and Brigade using the company’s society management software, as per a 2024 PTI report.
Why do gate management apps raise concerns?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, society and community management applications such as MyGate, Adda GateKeeper, and NoBrokerhood surged in popularity among gated communities in India, particularly in metro cities like Delhi and Bengaluru. Though, adoption also quickly expanded to cover smaller cities such as Kochi, Nagpur and Jaipur.
These apps are primarily used to log who enters and exits apartment buildings and other gated colonies. Residents are required to register on the client-side of the application while security guards get the manager side of the app. Nowadays, gate management apps are also used to list service providers like grocery sellers and cleaning services. Some of them are known to record biometric data of domestic workers while others offer built-in chat features for members of the residential communities.
However, privacy experts and digital rights advocates have raised concerns of surveillance and data misuse in the past. While these apps “may seem quite fascinating and convenient, several pressing issues arise including problems of workplace and peer surveillance along with potential function creep for the residents and visitors alike, of the society,” the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) said in a 2021 blog post.
“Applications such as MyGate and Adda categorically claim to be compliant with the GDPR [European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation] and the ISO 27001 security standards and have also stated that they use strong encryption while also having purpose limitations and data minimisation built-in. However, often the challenge that emerges from using these applications is not just that of data loss or breach, but rather of workplace and peer surveillance,” the Delhi-based non-profit added.

Govt is ‘judge, jury, and executioner’ with new digital rules, says Press Club of India

News Laundry: New Delhi: Wednesday, 26 November 2025.
In a detailed statement, the Press Club of India expressed “deep anguish” over the manner in which the Narendra Modi government notified the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA, 2023).

Notified on November 15, the rules “lay out procedures for consent managers, data retention norms, processing of children’s data, obligations of significant data fiduciaries, and carve-outs for the state when processing personal data”. But, like other journalist associations, including the Editor's Guild of India and the DIGIPUB News India Foundation, the club has noted that these rules erode press freedom, dilute the Right to Information framework, and leave journalists vulnerable to unclear and burdensome compliance demands.
Moreover, according to the club, despite their best efforts to engage proactively and positively with the Modi government, they have been met with “a wall of obfuscation from the executive”.
The statement on Monday began by noting that the club and 22 other press bodies, representing "thousands of working journalists”, submitted a detailed Joint Memorandum in June 2025 to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), to highlight the “serious lacunas” in the DPDPA, 2023 that they believe "impinge of press freedom and directly hit Article 19(1).”
In its statement, the club noted that the intention behind presenting the joint memorandum, while engaging “the government in the most constructive and democratic manner”, was to produce rules that wouldn’t hamper the functioning of journalists and media organisations. Additionally, through this joint memorandum, the club sought to demonstrate how sections of the law “were riddled with serious ambiguities due to their sweeping definitions and scope” that open up “numerous possibilities of weaponisation of the law with the purpose of curtailing press freedom”. The memorandum even offered “real-world scenarios” from experienced journalists to illustrate how provisions of this law could deter them from their duties.
The Press Club of India was clear in its intent. They did not want the law repealed. They understand the need for a law that protects citizens’ personal data. Instead, by submitting this memorandum, they sought to carve out “exceptions for people and organisations performing journalistic duties”.
In addition to the joint memorandum, the club and Indian Women’s Press Corps also submitted a set of 35 questions in the form of FAQs to a senior bureaucrat in the MEITY on July 28 to seek further clarification on multiple sections (2, 5,6, 7, 10, 17, 28, 33, 36 and 37) of the DPDPA 2023 and their sub-clauses and how they apply to journalistic work.
As the statement noted: “Both the Joint Memorandum and FAQs also held that the dilution of Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005 – via Section 44 of the DPDP Act, 2023 was detrimental to the functioning of the press. The RTI section, in its original form, was a vital tool for journalists and media organisations to access information in the public interest.” Furthermore, the statement made clear how “thousands of journalists walked the extra yard” for the government in flagging some of the major issues pertaining to the DPDPA.
The club stated that it has a “long and distinguished history of expanding and upholding press freedom”. It cited its role during the Emergency in 1975, when some of its members were imprisoned for “acts of defiance”. The statement also harked back to the protest undertaken by its members, including Kuldip Nayyar, HK Dua, Hiranmay Karlekar, and Pritish Chakravarty, among others, in 1988, when it challenged the Rajiv Gandhi government's Defamation Bill, 1988.
Despite their best efforts, the club stated unequivocally that the government showed no intention to provide “legally binding assurances” and that the clauses in the DPDPA 2023 “won’t be weaponised to hamper or curtail the functioning of the press”.
It also accused the political executive of donning “the mantle of the judge, jury, and executioner,” and hoped that “better sense prevails and the government provides clear-cut exemptions for journalistic purposes from the ambiguous provisions” of the DPDPA.
If the government can hike print ad rates by 26 percent, we can drop our subscription prices by 26 percent. Grab the offer and power journalism that doesn’t depend on advertisers.