SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exam: ‘No data available on candidates affected by centre changes, tech failures’

Indian Express: New Delhi: Wednesday, 23^rd September 2026.
The SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exam 2025, which started on July 24, 2025 and was scheduled to conclude on August 1, was disrupted by complaints of abrupt cancellations, server crashes, unresponsive systems and remote examination centres.

Some candidates had also alleged that they were allotted examination centres hundreds of kilometres from their homes. (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav/ representative)

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has no specific data on the number of candidates affected during the SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exam 2025 due to examination centre changes, cancellations and technical failures, even as re-examinations were scheduled for 76,153 candidates following disruptions, according to its response to the Central Information Commission (CIC).
The examination and data-system irregularities prompted SSC aspirants and teachers to stage a widespread protest over alleged mismanagement of the recruitment exam. The protest gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability and reforms in the examination process as a “Delhi Chalo” call echoed around.
The SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exam 2025, which started on July 24, 2025, and was scheduled to conclude on August 1, was disrupted by complaints of abrupt cancellations, server crashes, unresponsive systems and remote examination centres. A few candidates also alleged that they were allotted examination centres which were located hundreds of kilometres away from their homes.
In a Right to Information (RTI) application, the petitioner asked for the number of candidates whose centres were changed less than 24 hours before their examination time, along with a city- and state-wise breakup and additional details if any special arrangements were made for them.
As a written submission before the CIC, the SSC said, “Since EC-2 has no role in changing the examination centres of candidates, no data is available in this regard.” The applicant had also sought the data containing the total number of candidates affected by centre changes, cancellations and technical or logistical failures, along with copies of internal reports prepared on these issues.
“No data is available with us, as EC-2 has a limited role in such activities,” the SSC responded.
It said the section monitors the examination during its conduct.
The SSC further added that re-examinations were also conducted for multiple affected candidates during the examination, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 1, 2025.
“However, re-examination was conducted on August 2 and August 29, 2025 for 76,153 affected candidates,” the commission said. Simultaneously, the commission also acknowledged that the “specific data relating to such candidates is not available in EC Section.”
The RTI application also sought information on complaints received by the SSC or its partners regarding alleged mistreatment of students at examination centres, including incidents of physical abuse or aggression, medical emergencies and the reported case of a student fainting and bleeding from the mouth.
The SSC responded that “No complaints are received in this regard.”
On the student and teacher protest which unfolded on July 31, 2025 near Jantar Mantar and the CGO Complex, the applicant sought communications between the commission and Delhi Police or other authorities, including any directives issued for handling the demonstration.
The SSC said, “Insofar as the examination section was concerned, no communication was made between the Commission and Delhi Police.”
The RTI applicant had also demanded names and designations of officials involved in exam conduct activities like centre allocation, coordination with Eduquity (exam conducting agency) and other agencies, and examination-day operations.
The SSC cited Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act in response to this query, saying disclosure could hamper the “sanctity, integrity and security of future examinations”.
During the hearing, the CIC noted that the SSC could not satisfactorily explain the constitutional act used to deny information and orded it to submit a written justification.
CIC later scrapped the appeal after receiving the response but warned the SSC to “act strictly within the precincts of the RTI Act” and follow the prescribed timelines.
(With inputs from PTI)

RTI: MeitY has no records of MIB’s order that asked for teams to tackle ‘fake content’

Media Nama: Bangalore: Wednesday, 23^rd September 2026.

A response from an RTI filed by MediaNama revealed that Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has no information on record related to MIB’s July 27 ‘fake content’ order. The said order asks central ministries and departments to set up Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to counter fake, misleading, and manipulated content on social media. MediaNama received this RTI reply from MeitY’s Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), disposed of on September 18, 2026.
MediaNama has also filed a similar RTI with Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) as it reportedly issued the order. We are yet to receive a MIB’s response. We’ve also written to MeitY challenging this RTI response. We’ll publish a fresh copy if and when MIB or MeitY replies to the RTI applications.
Some background on Quick Response Teams: 
Earlier in August, MediaNama reported regarding the order, based on a PTI report that the MIB advisory directed the social media teams of various ministries to monitor content related to their own ministries and departments. The order also asked them to report anything deemed “fake, misleading, factually incorrect, manipulated, distorted, taken out of context, or likely to cause public confusion” to Quick Response Teams. The QRTs were in turn expected to coordinate with the Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check Unit (FCU) for a fact-checked response, ideally within two hours of the content being flagged.
As per a letter accessed by the New Indian Express, the MIB Secretary Chanchal Kumar said rumours on social media “travel fast,” and that the government must match the pace. The order reportedly capped fact-checked responses at 200 words and required them to be cross-posted on platforms like Instagram and YouTube as memes, posters, and short videos for “algorithmic amplification.” The directive came after Prime Minister Modi asked ministers to be proactive on social media, in the fallout of CJP’s Jantar Mantar protests. 
What the MeitY reply reveals:
MediaNama asked for the Terms of Reference (ToR) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), any amendments, and the internal file notings behind the notice.  Rather than responding point-by-point to the four questions asked, MeitY’s CPIO returned a single, blanket response covering the entire application.
“No information is available in records of the undersigned Central Public Information Officer (CPIO).” – RTI Response.
The reply goes on to cite clause 2(j) of the RTI Act, 2005, which defines “information” and notes that only information that is “available and existing” and “held by the public authority or is held under the control of the public authority” can be supplied under the Act.
In effect, MeitY says it holds no record connecting it to MIB’s order, its ToR or SOPs, any amendments, or any correspondence between the two Ministries.
Why MeitY? And, why it matters:
MediaNama filed identical RTIs with both MeitY and MIB because of a distinction of the identical name of Fact Checking Unit under both Ministries. For some context, Press Information of Bureau’s Fact Check Unit comes under the MIB, which may or may not have been tasked to co-ordinate with the so-called Quick Resposne Teams (QRT) under the MIB’s advisory. 
Whereas, now struck down Fact Check Unit under Rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the IT Rules, 2021 comes under the MeitY. The Ministry notified provision that let a government-designated unit flag information about “any business of the Central Government” as fake, false, or misleading, and which the Bombay High Court struck down in 2024. Bombay HC’s Justice GS Patel found the terms like ‘fake’, ‘misleading’ are “entirely subjective” and called the provision ‘vague’ and overbroad.
Later in March 2026, the Supreme Court declined to strike down that 2024 Bombay HC order and itself raised questions about how the Rules define “misleading” content. MIB’s newer Quick Response Teams now resembles similar language. 
What are the questions asked?
Kindly provide certified copies of the following records held by your Ministry:

1. Any order, office memorandum, advisory, circular, or letter issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on or around Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s order on July 27, 2026, directing Union Ministries/Departments to constitute Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to counter allegedly fake, misleading, factually incorrect, manipulated, distorted, out-of-context, or confusing content on social media. Include the file number and date.

2. The Terms of Reference (ToR), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines, manuals, or similar documents (including annexures) issued by the Ministry or under its authority, specifying:

• (a) The mandate, functions, and composition of these QRTs.
• (b) The process and timelines for monitoring social media content related to ministries/departments and identifying content as fake, misleading, factually incorrect, manipulated, distorted, taken out of context, or likely to cause public confusion.
• (c) The procedure for reporting such content to QRTs and coordinating with the Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check Unit (FCU). 
• (d) Requirements regarding format, word limits (e.g., 200 words), use of memes, posters, short videos, cross-posting across platforms (Instagram, YouTube, etc.), and any reference to “algorithmic amplification” of fact-checked responses.

3. Any subsequent amendments, clarifications, or follow-up instructions issued by the Ministry relating to the above order, ToR, SOPs, or guidelines.
4. File notings and intra-ministerial correspondence within the Ministry that document the decision-making process leading to the issuance of the order and SOPs/guidelines mentioned in points 1 and 2, limited to the stage after the final decision was taken, as per the proviso to Section 8(1)(i) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Ballari Road RTI plea remains stuck in civic bottlenecks: ByY Maheswara Reddy

Bangalore Mirror: Bangalore: Wednesday, 23^rd September 2026.
Environmentalist says RTI application seeking information on Ballari Road tunnel project has been circulating between civic departments since January 2026 without any response or disclosure received

An application submitted to the Public Information Officer of Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B‑SMILE) has been circulating among various city corporation departments since January 2026. Under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, authorities are mandated to furnish requested details within the stipulated time frame, but the response allegedly remains pending.
The standard time limit to get a reply under the RTI Act, 2005, is 30 days from the date the application is received by the Public Information Officer (PIO).
The application was filed by Dattatreya T Devare, an environmentalist, on January 13, 2026, seeking some documents pertaining to the proposed Ballari Road tunnel project. However, the officer allegedly forwarded the application to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).
The GBA Public Information Officer wrote letters to personal assistants of Additional Commissioners (Development), Bengaluru North City Corporation, Bengaluru South City Corporation, Bengaluru East City Corporation, Bengaluru West City Corporation, Bengaluru Central City Corporation and the Chief Engineer (Planning and Coordination) of the Greater Bengaluru Authority.
A copy of the letter was sent to Dattatreya T Devare on January 23, 2026. “I used the same copy to send a reminder to the Bengaluru East City Corporation. The Executive Engineer (KR Puram) of BECC wrote a letter to the Assistant Executive Engineer directing him to provide the information sought by me and also forwarded the copy of the letter to me on July 7, 2026. However, I am yet to receive a reply even after two months,” said Devare, adding that he wrote a reminder in the last letter, which kept going from one office to another before returning to him.
Commenting on the delay in providing information, HM Venkatesh of Naija Horatagarara Vedike noted that authorities are supposed to provide information sought by applicants under the RTI Act within a stipulated time.
“They can forward the application to the department concerned if they do not have the information sought by the applicant. Section 6(3) of the RTI Act requires a public authority to transfer an RTI application to another relevant department within five days if the requested information is held by them or relates to their functions,” said Venkatesh.

Goshamahal school’s Rs 10 lakh toilets exist only on paper: RTI

The Siasat Daily: Hyderabad: Tuesday, 22^th September 2026.
Only remnants of unfinished construction material were reportedly found at the site marked for the toilets, with no functional structure in place.

An RTI query has revealed that Rs 10 lakh sanctioned for the construction of toilets at a government-aided school in Hyderabad’s Goshamahal constituency was marked “completed” in official records, despite no structure being constructed. The toilets in use at the school have now been built by the school management itself, not with the sanctioned funds.
The query, filed by Harish Singh Jamedar under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, sought details of works funded through the Goshamahal MLA’s local development funds.
The response he received reportedly shows that Rs 10 lakh was sanctioned on October 1, 2018, for the construction of two eco-green toilets at the Marwadi Hindi Vidyalaya High School, with the executing agency listed as the chairman of the Telangana State Slum Clearance Board and the status recorded as “completed.”
On visiting the school, however, only remnants of unfinished construction material were reportedly found at the site marked for the toilets, with no functional structure in place.
B Sandhya, identified in the video as the school’s in-charge, told the visiting resident that the toilets currently in use at the school were built by the school management using its own funds, and that no toilets were provided through the MLA’s office despite the official paperwork.
Goshamahal is represented by Raja Singh, who has held the seat since 2014. He was a BJP MLA at the time the funds were reportedly sanctioned in 2018, but resigned from the party in mid-2025 and currently sits as an Independent MLA.

Over 71 per centadministrative postsvacant in NMC: RTI

The Hitavada: Nagpur: Tuesday, 22^th September 2026.

Citizens bear the brunt of multi-charge system: IN A startling revelation exposing severe administrative paralysis within the city’s civic body, an inquiry under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has disclosed that a staggering 71.26 per cent of regular sanctioned posts in the Nagpur M u n i c i p a l Corporation (NMC) are currently lying vacant. The acute human resource crunch has forced single officers to juggle portfolios across multiple critical departments, severely crippling daily civic governance, basic public amenities, and infrastructure delivery across Nagpur.
The official data, furnished by the Public Information Officer and officials of NMC’s General Administration Department to RTI activist Sanjay Thul, details the working and vacancy status across Class 1 to Class 4cadres as of September 1, 2026, benchmarked against the statutory staffing pattern(Akrutibandh) approved on May 10, 2023. Out of 9,321 sanctioned regular posts across Class 1 to Class 4, barely 2,678 personnel are currently on active payroll, leaving 6,643 posts vacant. The vacancy profile paints an alarming picture across all administrative tiers: Class 1 (Senior Officers): Out of 309 sanctioned posts, 194 positions (62.78 per cent) remain unoccupied, leaving just 115 officers to steer policymaking and supervisory roles.
Class 2 (Mid-Level Officers): Out of 229 sanctioned posts, 177 positions (77.29 per cent) lie vacant. Only 52 personnel are working, of whom 10 are school teachers deputed to these posts. Class 3 (Clerical, Field and Technical Staff): Considered the administrative backbone directly interfacing with the public, this cadre has 4,560 vacant posts (69.78 per cent) out of 6,534 sanctioned positions. Only 1,974 employees are active, including 310 teachers. Class 4 (General Support Staff): Out of 2,249 posts, a massive 1,712 (76.12 per cent) are vacant, with only 537 personnel working. Because nearly four out of every five Class 1 and Class 2 supervisory positions are vacant, executive engineers and assistant commissioners are routinely burdened with additional charges spanning three to four disparate civic departments. This has led to compromised oversight, extensive delays in issuing town planning permissions and property tax corrections, and mounting pendency of development files. Ordinary citizens visiting the civic headquarters and zonal offices are regularly turned away due to the physical absence of officers attending field meetings or handling overlapping portfolios.
Sanitation Wing also short of hands: Beyond the regular administrative ranks, the field sanitation workforce is also grappling with acute deficits. Out of 8,660 sanctioned posts for sweepers and sanitation workers, 2,162 positions (24.96 per cent) remain vacant, directly hitting solid waste collection, street sweeping, and desilting drives in expanding suburbs. When accounting for both administrative personnel and sanitation workers, the civic body is operating with an overall vacancy deficit of 49.02 per cent, with 8,805 out of 17,981 total posts vacant.

Liquor outlets rise across seven J&K excise ranges since 2021, RTI reveals: By Syed Rizwan Geelani

Greater Kashmir: Srinagar: Tuesday, 22^th September 2026.
The RTI responses obtained from seven excise ranges show that the number of liquor shops in these jurisdictions rose from 118 in 2021-22 to 180 in 2025-26, an increase of nearly 53 per cent. The figure stood at 183 by August 2026 across the seven ranges.

The number of liquor shops has increased substantially across several excise ranges of Jammu and Kashmir since 2021, with the sharpest growth recorded in parts of Jammu and the Chenab region, according to information furnished by the Excise Department under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The RTI responses obtained from seven excise ranges show that the number of liquor shops in these jurisdictions rose from 118 in 2021-22 to 180 in 2025-26, an increase of nearly 53 per cent. The figure stood at 183 by August 2026 across the seven ranges.
The data, however, does not indicate an increase in the overall number of retail liquor vends in J&K, as the Excise Department had stated in March 2025 that the UT-wide number of JKEL-2 retail vends had remained at 305 since 2023-24, with 291 in Jammu and 14 in Kashmir.
The RTI replies show that the City Excise Range, North Jammu had the highest number of liquor shops among the seven ranges, increasing from 68 in 2021-22 to 84 in 2025-26.
In Kathua, the number rose from 15 to 31, while the Rajouri-Poonch range saw an increase from 13 to 26 over the same period.
The Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range recorded an increase from 12 shops in 2021-22 to 23 in 2025-26.
In Kashmir, the Srinagar-Budgam-Ganderbal range reported an increase from 10 shops in 2021 to 16 in 2025, with the figure remaining 16 in the response for 2026 till August 15.
The Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora range, which reported no liquor shop in 2021, had four by 2023 and continued to have four in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
The Anantnag-Pulwama-Shopian-Kulgam range also reported no shop in 2021, but had two from 2023 onwards.
The range-wise data also shows a substantial rise in excise revenue.
Across the seven ranges, combined revenue reported for 2021-22 was about Rs 381.6 crore, compared with approximately Rs 612 crore in 2025-26, based on the figures furnished by the respective Excise and Taxation Officers.
The North Jammu range alone reported revenue of Rs 237.94 crore in 2025-26, up from Rs 173.89 crore in 2021-22.
Kathua's revenue rose from Rs 69.02 crore to Rs 100.19 crore, while Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban reported an increase from Rs 35.43 crore to Rs 60.84 crore.
Rajouri-Poonch recorded Rs 65.90 crore in 2025-26, against Rs 43.78 crore in 2021-22.
In the Kashmir ranges covered by the RTI, Srinagar-Budgam-Ganderbal reported Rs 81.68 crore in 2025, compared with Rs 59.51 crore in 2021. Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora reported Rs 5.64 crore in 2025, while the Anantnag range reported Rs 9.03 crore.
The 2026 figures in the RTI are only up to August 15 or August 31, depending on the range, and therefore are not comparable with full-year figures.
The Excise Department says its policy is not to encourage indiscriminate growth in consumption of intoxicants, but to regulate existing consumption and ensure that consumers use legally regulated sources rather than illicitly distilled or non-duty-paid liquor.
The J&K Government has also continued to rely on e-auctions for retail liquor vends. For 2025-26, the Excise Department issued a notice for 305 JKEL-2 retail vends, with the government subsequently reiterating that the number had not increased from the 2023-24 level.
At the same time, liquor remains an important source of government revenue. The Excise Department's official revenue portal lists excise revenue receipts of Rs 2269.93 crore for 2024-25 and a budget figure of Rs 2280.85 crore for 2025-26.
Official data reported earlier this year also showed that more than 5.63 crore liquor bottles were sold across civil, CSD and paramilitary outlets in J&K up to January 2026 during 2025-26.
The RTI material also highlights manpower shortages in the Excise Department.
The Kathua Excise Range, for instance, has 23 vacancies against a sanctioned strength of 36, while the Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range has 14 vacancies against 24 sanctioned posts.
The Srinagar-Budgam-Ganderbal range has eight vacancies against 35 sanctioned posts. The Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora response also shows vacancies in its divisional establishment, while the North Jammu range's cadre statement records significant vacancies, particularly among Excise Guards.
The RTI responses say the department undertakes raids, inspections and naka checking at vulnerable locations to detect and prevent illegal transportation and trafficking of liquor and drugs.
They also cite the Social Responsibility Corpus Fund under the 2026-27 Excise Policy for activities including rehabilitation of families involved in illicit liquor trade and support for awareness, counselling and drug de-addiction programmes.
The RTI disclosures come amid renewed public and political debate over liquor sales in J&K. In February, the government told the Legislative Assembly that there was no proposal to open new wine shops in the next financial year.
The government has also previously said that prohibition could have implications for revenue, smuggling, illegal distillation and sectors including tourism and hospitality.
The latest RTI figures therefore point to a more complex picture than a simple increase in the total number of liquor shops: while the overall sanctioned retail-vend count has remained unchanged in recent years, the number of outlets reported within several individual excise ranges has increased markedly, alongside higher revenue collections.

When the right to information meets silence: Mphatso Mkwende

Malawi24: Malawi: Monday, 21^th September 2026.

Malawi’s Access to Information law was enacted to give citizens the right to seek information from public institutions. But what happens when public institutions do not respond?
Access to information exists to make government more open, transparent and accountable.
For journalists, citizens and civil society organizations, the Access to Information (ATI) Act provides a legal framework to ask public institutions for information that matters to the public.
But putting that right into practice can be a different story
As par of this investigation, interviews were conducted with people who had actually used the ATI legal framework to request information from public institutions.
Their experiences reveal the practical barriers they faced when seeking information.
Separately, ATI requests were submitted to 10 public institutions to test how effectively the right to information works in practice. The test requests form part of the wider investigation and were used alongside the experiences of information seekers and documentary evidence.
The findings reveal a troubling pattern: too often, information seekers are met with silence, delays or incomplete answers.
The numbers:
35%-No response
More than a third of the reported reasons why information requests failed involved institutions that did not respond.
20%-Delays
Delays were the second most common problem, making it difficult for information seekers to obtain information when they needed it.
10%-Incomplete information
Some responses provided only part of the information requested.
10%-Officials unavailable
In some cases, access was affected by the unavailability of officials.
Other reasons recorded included confidentiality, court delays, permission requirements, security concerns.
When silence becomes a barrier
A refusal is visible. Silence is harder to challenge.
When an institution does not respond to an ATI request, the requester is left without the information and may have to spend additional time following up, escalating the matter or pursuing other avenues.
For journalists, this can have a direct impact on investigations.
A story about public spending, service delivery or government decisions may depend on documents held by a public institution. If those documents are delayed or never provided, the investigation can stall.
This raises an important question:
What is the value of a legal right if exercising that right does not consistently produce information?
A water supply request shows why information matters
One request examined intermittent water supply in Chiuzira area in Liongwe.
The request sought information on whether the Lilongwe Water Board had received complaints or requests concerning the water situation, why residents were experiencing running water mainly at night, and what measures were being taken to address the problem.
These are not merely administrative questions.
They are questions about public service delivery and accountability.
Residents experiencing unreliable water supplies have a legitimate interest in knowing what is causing the problem and what the responsible institution is doing about it.
ATI provides a mechanism for seeking those answers.
But the effectiveness of that mechanism depends on institutions responding meaningfully and within the required framework.
The problem is bigger than one request
The pattern emerging from the requests suggests that accessing information is not always a straightforward process.
Requests can encounter delays, incomplete responses, unavailable officials and requirements for additional permission.
In other cases, information may be withheld on grounds such as confidentiality or security.
Some of these restrictions may be legitimate where provided for by law. The concern is whether such grounds are being applied consistently, transparently and in accordance with the ATI framework.
The investigation therefore points to an important distinction:
Having a right to request information is not the same as having effective access to information.
What the evidence tells us
The findings point to three key problems.
1. Non-response is undermining the right
The fact that 35% of reported request failures involved no response is significant. An unanswered request provides neither the requested information nor a clear explanation to the information seeker.
2. Delays reduce the value of information
For journalists and citizens seeking information about current issues, timing matters. Information received after a story, decision or public controversy has passed may have significantly less practical value.
3. Implementation matters as much as legislation
The ATI Act provides the legal framework. But its success ultimately depends on public institutions implementing that framework and information seekers being able to use it effectively.
The bigger picture
Evidence from ATI-related reports and engagement with oversight and media stakeholders points to broader challenges in implementation, including concerns around enforcement, awareness and utilization of the law.
The problem, therefore, cannot be solved simply by telling citizens to submit more requests.
Public institutions must also recognize that responding to lawful information requests is part of their responsibility to the public.
Journalists and citizens, meanwhile, need greater awareness of the law and the mechanisms available when information is not provided.
A right that must work in practice
Access to information is often described as a foundation for transparency and accountability.
But transparency cannot exist where information is routinely delayed, incomplete or simply unanswered.
The findings from this investigation suggest that Malawi’s ATI challenge is no longer only about whether the right exists.
It is about whether the right works.
For the citizen waiting for answers, the journalist trying to complete an investigation and the community demanding accountability, the test of the Access to Information Act is simple:
When information is requested, does it actually reach the person who asked for it?
The data suggests that, too often, the answer is no.
Acknowledgement: This report was produced with support from the Hivos Connect, Defend, Act! programme. If you have similar investigative tips, please email editor@malawi24.com

Pune Civic Committees Spend ₹3.2 Lakh On Tea Without Tenders, RTI Reveals: Varad Bhatkhande

FPJ: Pune: Monday, 21^th September 2026.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) spent ₹3.2 lakh on tea and snacks served during subject committee meetings, but the expenses were approved without inviting tenders or following a formal quotation process, information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) spent ₹3.2 lakh on tea and snacks served during subject committee meetings, but the expenses were approved without inviting tenders or following a formal quotation process, information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed.
The highest spending was recorded for Standing Committee meetings, which accounted for ₹2.70 lakh of the total tea expenditure. The information was obtained by Umesh Naik, a member of the RTI Forum, through an RTI application. The details were provided by the PMC Municipal Secretary Department.
Standing Committee tea bill crosses ₹2.7 lakh
According to the information, ₹2,70,140 was spent on tea served during Standing Committee meetings. Other committees also incurred expenses on tea and refreshments. The Naming Committee spent ₹15,716, while the Legal Committee spent ₹14,134.
The City Improvement Committee spent ₹10,248 on tea. The Women and Child Welfare Committee spent ₹8,788. The Sports Committee had the lowest recorded expenditure, with a tea bill of ₹420. Together, the expenses across the committees amounted to around ₹3.20 lakh.
The RTI information has raised questions over the procedure used by the civic body to approve these bills. According to the information provided, PMC normally invites tenders or obtains quotations for various expenses. However, a similar formal process is not followed for tea and refreshments provided during committee meetings.
The bills submitted by hotel vendors are also paid without reconciliation of the actual quantity of tea and refreshments served, according to the information cited by Naik. The process does not establish a clear comparison between the quantity supplied and the amount billed before payments are made.
RTI activist seeks transparency
Naik has demanded greater transparency in the system used for approving tea and refreshment bills.
The expenditure has come to light through the RTI application and raises questions about how such recurring expenses are authorised and verified within the civic body.
The information relates to tea expenses incurred for meetings of various PMC subject committees.

RTI: ₹1,664 cr released, only 66% spent, U’khand MLAs’ fund utilisation raises questions

Times of India: Rudrapur: Monday, 21^th September 2026.
Ahead of the Uttarakhand assembly polls, govt data on the utilisation of legislators’ local area development funds has thrown up an interesting picture while ₹1,664 crore was made available to MLAs between 2022-23 and June 2026, only ₹1,091.2 crore around 66% of it had been spent. And nearly ₹573 crore remains unutilised.

The figures, obtained through the RTI Act by Kashipur-based activist Nadeem Uddin from the office of the commissioner, rural development, show wide variations across constituencies, districts and political parties.
The data covers the financial years 2022-23 to 2025-26 and expenditure recorded up to June 2026. It reveals that the pace of spending differs sharply between the state’s hills and plains.
MLAs from the plains Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar spent an average of ₹16.8 crore per constituency, with an overall utilisation rate of about 71.1%.
In contrast, the 34 constituencies in the hill districts of Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Pauri, Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat and Pithoragarh recorded average expenditure of around ₹14.7 crore per MLA, with utilisation at about 62%. Dehradun and Nainital, which have a mix of hills, plains and ‘bhabar’ areas, were assessed separately. Their 16 constituencies recorded average expenditure of ₹15.7 crore, with an overall utilisation rate of about 66.4%.
Thus, the data presents a clear geographical pattern: fund utilisation was highest in the plains, followed by mixed districts, while the hill districts lagged behind.
However, the RTI data does not establish the reasons for this difference. Difficult terrain, accessibility, administrative procedures and the nature of development projects could be among the factors.
The political picture is equally striking. Based on the present party affiliations of MLAs and the constituency-wise expenditure percentages, the average utilisation rate for Congress MLAs is around 68.4%, compared with 64.4% for BJP MLAs.
Among individual legislators, Pradeep Batra of Roorkee and Furqan Ahmed of Piran Kaliyar recorded the highest utilisation at 77%. Congress MLAs Ravi Bahadur and Qazi Nizamuddin followed at 76%.
At the other end, Tehri MLA Kishore Upadhyay’s constituency recorded utilisation of only around 30%, the lowest in the dataset. Yamkeshwar stood at 44%, while Chakrata recorded 51%.
Among cabinet ministers, Batra led with 77%, followed by Saurabh Bahuguna at 72% and Madan Kaushik 70%. Satpal Maharaj recorded 68%, Khajan Das 66% and Ganesh Joshi 65%. Subodh Uniyal and Bharat Singh Chaudhary stood at 57% each, while Dhan Singh Rawat recorded 37%.
Economist Mohit Dev Yadav said the issue goes beyond political demands for increasing the MLA fund. “In 2002, when Uttarakhand got its first elected govt, the MLA fund was only ₹75 lakh. Today, it has risen to ₹5 crore annually, meaning an MLA can receive ₹25 crore over a five-year term. Representatives from both the ruling party and the Opposition regularly demand higher allocations, citing the development needs of their constituencies. But their ability to utilise these funds effectively remains a matter of serious concern,” Yadav said.
Chartered accountant Amit Gambhir said, “For a resource-constrained state like Uttarakhand, ensuring 100% and proper utilisation of MLA funds is the moral responsibility and duty of every legislator. This responsibility is even greater in the hill regions where inadequate basic infrastructure continues to contribute to migration.” Many others echoed similar sentiments.

RTI Must Fight Corruption, Not Become Tool for Impractical Demands: CIC

ENN: Jammu: Monday, 21^th September 2026.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has cautioned public authorities in Jammu and Kashmir against mechanically disposing of RTI applications, stressing that the Right to Information is meant to promote transparency and accountability.
The observation came while hearing a second appeal related to the Directorate of School Education Kashmir. The CIC found that both the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) and the First Appellate Authority (FAA) had failed to properly examine the RTI application and had dealt with it in a mechanical manner.
Referring to the Supreme Court's judgment in CBSE & Another vs Aditya Bandhopadhyay and Others, the Commission noted that the RTI Act is an important tool for responsible citizens to help combat corruption and promote transparency and accountability in public authorities.
At the same time, the CIC observed that indiscriminate or impractical requests for information, particularly those unrelated to transparency and accountability, could adversely affect administrative efficiency by placing an unnecessary burden on government departments.
The Commission noted that the RTI application in the case sought extensive service-related records concerning several third parties over a period of two decades, along with clarification-based and indefinite information relating to the appellant spanning more than 10 years.
The CIC also pointed out that the CPIO had failed to properly examine the request under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act and had not adequately considered the exemption provisions under Section 8(1)(j) concerning personal information.
The Commission further criticised the FAA's reliance on Section 8(1)(h), which relates to information that could impede an ongoing investigation or prosecution. It observed that such reasoning could incorrectly suggest that personal information concerning third parties would become disclosable once an investigation or prosecution concluded.
The case originated from an RTI application filed by Abdul Qayoom before the Directorate of School Education Kashmir on July 11, 2024. He had sought service records, appointment-related documents and other information. The CPIO had stated that some records could not be traced, while certain GPF-related information was withheld citing an ongoing investigation.
While limiting the relief, the CIC directed the CPIO to issue a revised response regarding the appointment list mentioned in a specific reference letter dated March 1, 1983. The response must comply with the RTI Act and take into account Sections 8(1) and 10.
The Commission also advised the CPIO to consider the suo motu disclosure requirements under Section 4(1)(b)(ix). It observed that appointment lists of public authorities, including employee-related information required to be placed in the public domain, should generally not be denied unless the information is unavailable or an applicable exemption under the RTI Act applies.
The CIC directed officials to avoid mechanical disposal of RTI applications and appeals in the future and stressed the need for proper, case-specific examination of information requests.

AP Information Commission bars B Gopal from filing RTI applications, appeals.

Times of India: Vijaywada: Sunday, September 20, 2026.

The Andhra Pradesh Information Commission has barred document writer B. Gopal from filing RTI applications, first and second appeals and complaints under the RTI Act, citing repeated filings and the burden placed on public authorities.

The order was issued on Sept 17 by Chief Information Commissioner Vajja Srinivasa Rao and State Information Commissioner Gajula Adenna in S.A. No. 1639/2023 and a batch of 101 cases. The Commission examined second appeals and complaints filed by Gopal.

Hearings were held on August 20, Sept 9 and 15. The Commission said Gopal did not attend, while the concerned public information officers (PIOs) and first appellate authorities appeared and presented their submissions.

According to the order, Gopal stated in an affidavit that he had filed second appeals numbering in the thousands. The Deputy Tahsildar of Kundurpi also submitted details of more than 300 RTI applications filed by him between 2002 and 2026.

The Commission noted that officials had furnished information sought in several cases, but applications and appeals on the same or similar issues continued to be filed

RTI reveals Rs 572 crore MLA constituency funds remain unutilised in Uttarakhand.

New Indian Express: Narendra Sethi: Dehradun: Sunday, September 20, 2026.

Hill MLAs trail plains counterparts in spending development funds: RTI. Between 2022-23 and June 2026, Uttarakhand MLAs spent Rs 1,091.29 crore, or 66% of the Rs 1,664 crore MLA development fund, leaving Rs 572.71 crore unutilised.

More than two decades after Uttarakhand was created, MLAs from the state's hill constituencies continue to lag behind their counterparts in the plains in spending constituency development funds, according to information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Between 2022-23 and June 2026, Uttarakhand MLAs had Rs 1,664 crore available under the MLA Local Area Development Fund. Of this, Rs 1,091.29 crore, or about 66 per cent, was spent, leaving nearly Rs 572.71 crore unutilised.

The data, obtained by RTI activist Nadeem Uddin from the office of the Rural Development Commissioner, shows a clear gap in fund utilisation between hill and plain constituencies.

“The pace of expenditure is not uniform across the state,” Nadeem Uddin told this newspaper. “While MLAs in some constituencies have utilised more than 70 per cent of their funds, spending in several other constituencies remains below 60 per cent.”

The 34 Assembly constituencies in Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat and Pithoragarh had about Rs 807.5 crore available during the period.

By June 2026, MLAs from these hill constituencies had spent nearly Rs 501.07 crore, with an average expenditure of Rs 14.74 crore per legislator and an overall utilisation rate of around 62 per cent.

In comparison, the 20 Assembly constituencies in the plain districts of Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar had about Rs 475 crore available. Their MLAs spent nearly Rs 337.86 crore, recording an average expenditure of Rs 16.88 crore each and a utilisation rate of 71.1 per cent.

“In percentage terms, constituencies in the plains are ahead by around nine percentage points. The data clearly indicates that MLA funds are being spent faster in the plains than in the hills,” Uddin said.

Dehradun and Nainital, which have both hill and plain constituencies, recorded an average expenditure of Rs 15.77 crore per MLA.

The RTI data also showed that Congress MLAs recorded an average fund utilisation rate of 68.4 per cent, compared with 64.4 per cent for BJP MLAs.

Social activist Anoop Nautiyal, founder of Social Development for Communities, said the findings were disappointing in the context of Uttarakhand's formation.

“The fundamental idea behind the creation of Uttarakhand was to ensure that development reached its remote and difficult mountain regions,” Nautiyal said.

“These figures are deeply disappointing. They suggest that public representatives from the hills have not demonstrated the urgency and commitment to development expected in a state created after a prolonged movement and many sacrifices,” he added.

RTI a weapon against corruption, can’t become tool of impractical demands: CIC

Daily Excelsior: Mohinder Verma: Jammu: Sunday, September 20, 2026.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has cautioned Public Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir against mechanical disposal of RTI applications and appeals with the observation that the right to information is a cherished right intended to promote transparency and accountability, but indiscriminate and impractical demands for information can adversely affect the efficiency of administration.

The observation came in a Second Appeal concerning the Directorate of School Education Kashmir, in which the CIC found that both the CPIO and the First Appellate Authority had failed to properly assess the RTI application and had instead mechanically dealt with the request.

The Commission, however, also referred to the Supreme Court's judgment in CBSE & Another Versus Aditya Bandhopadhyay and Others, while examining the nature of the information sought in the present case. Quoting the Supreme Court, the CIC held that the right to information and the provisions of the RTI Act are intended to be formidable tools in the hands of responsible citizens to fight corruption and bring transparency and accountability in the functioning of Public Authorities.

"In respect of information other than that covered under the mandatory disclosure provisions, equal importance has to be given to public interests such as confidentiality of sensitive information, fiduciary relationships and efficient operation of Governments", the CIC said, adding "indiscriminate and impractical demands for disclosure of information unrelated to transparency and accountability could prove counter-productive by adversely affecting administrative efficiency and burdening the executive with non-productive work of collecting and furnishing information".

Linking these principles with the case before it, the CIC noted that the RTI application contained an all-pervasive demand for service-related documents concerning various third parties over two decades, besides clarification-based and indeterminate requests concerning the appellant over a period of more than 10 years.

The Commission observed that the CPIO had not assessed the application from the standpoint of Section 2(f) of the RTI Act and had also not examined the applicability of the exemption under Section 8(1)(j). While the CPIO had indicated that certain information was unavailable, the reply itself made no reference to the relevant provisions of the RTI Act.

The CIC also took exception to the First Appellate Authority's approach of holding that the information could not be provided because an investigation was pending and Section 8(1)(h) was applicable. According to the Commission, such an approach would imply that once the investigation or prosecution process was over, the Public Authority would have been able to provide even personal information relating to third parties. The Commission termed the disposal of the RTI application and first appeal as mechanical.

The case arose from an RTI application filed by Abdul Qayoom before the Directorate of School Education Kashmir on July 11, 2024, seeking information on service record, appointment-related records and other documents. The CPIO had subsequently stated that several records could not be traced, while information relating to his GPF details was not provided on the ground that his case was under investigation.

The CIC, while restricting the relief in the matter, directed the CPIO to provide a revised reply regarding the appointment list sought by the appellant in respect of the specified reference letter dated March 1, 1983. The reply has to be furnished in strict compliance with the RTI Act, subject to Section 8(1) read with Section 10, within two weeks of receipt of the order.

Importantly, the Commission also advised the CPIO to take cognizance of the suo motu disclosure mandate under Section 4(1)(b)(ix), observing that an appointment list of a Public Authority would appear to entail the list of employees and such information, where required to be made available in the public domain, should not ordinarily be denied to RTI applicants unless it is unavailable or the relevant provisions of the Act apply.

The CIC cautioned the CPIO and FAA against mechanical disposal of RTI applications and First Appeals in future, thereby stressing the need for proper examination of RTI requests instead of routine disposal.

Mumbai-Goa Highway cost jumps 48% to Rs 16,909cr, RTI shows; Konkan commuters still wait for smoother ride: Chittaranjan Tembhekar

Times of India: Mumbai: Saturday, 19^th September 2026.

The Mumbai-Goa highway has become a long-running infrastructure headache for Konkan commuters, with the four-laning of 355km in Maharashtra now costing ₹16,909.22 crore nearly ₹5,500 crore or 48% more than its original sanctioned cost, according to fresh information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The figures, obtained by RTI activist Jeetendra Ghadge of The Young Whistleblowers Foundation from the Union Road transport and highways ministry, cover 10 four-laning packages of NH-66 in Maharashtra. The data shows that ₹11,577 crore has already been spent, exceeding the project's original sanctioned cost of ₹11,409.14 crore, even though work on some stretches remains incomplete.
The sharpest escalation is in the Parshuram Ghat-Arawali package in the Chiplun-Ratnagiri belt. Its sanctioned cost has risen from ₹983 crore to ₹2,226 crore a 126% increase.
For motorists, however, the issue is not merely the size of the bill but what they get for it: stretches of unfinished four-laning, bottlenecks and traffic disruption on a highway that is the principal road link between Mumbai and the Konkan.
The Centre began the four-laning work in phases in 2011. Official records have repeatedly cited land-acquisition and other pre-construction delays, clearances and financial difficulties faced by some contractors as reasons for slippage. A 2024 parliamentary reply said the Mumbai-Goa NH-66 project had been delayed by land acquisition, pre-construction activities and contractors' cash-flow problems.
The delays have also drawn judicial scrutiny. In January 2024, the Bombay High Court observed that the prolonged delay in the NH-66 widening and repair works caused hardship to people and added to the burden on the state exchequer through rising construction costs.
Ghadge questioned the division of responsibility for the highway's execution. While the Panvel-Indapur section is being handled by NHAI, the Maharashtra stretches covered by the RTI are being executed through the state PWD under the national highway programme. Earlier MoRTH records have also identified Maharashtra PWD as the executing agency for the Indapur-Zarap four-laning packages.
“When a project of this scale has remained incomplete for nearly 15 years despite thousands of crores being sanctioned and spent, the government must answer a basic question: who is ultimately accountable for the delay?” Ghadge said.
He also alleged that the prolonged delays had imposed a continuing human and economic cost on Konkan residents and travellers.
The impact becomes particularly visible around Ganeshotsav, when lakhs of Mumbaikars and other residents head towards their ancestral villages in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. A journey that can take around seven hours in normal conditions can stretch much longer when traffic converges on unfinished stretches, narrow carriageways and construction zones.
The highway has also seen repeated missed deadlines. In March 2023, Union minister Nitin Gadkari had said the highway would be completed by December 2023 and opened fully by January 2024. In a 2025 parliamentary reply, the revised completion target was September 2025, with the government citing land acquisition, pre-construction activities and contractors' cash-flow problems.
A 2026 parliamentary response subsequently said about 465km of the roughly 485km Panvel-Goa/Maharashtra-border section had been four-laned, with the balance 20km targeted for completion by June 2026; it cited land-related hindrances, clearances and slow contractor progress for delays.
The Samruddhi contrast
701km Samruddhi Mahamarg, a completely new expressway developed by Maharashtra. The project was inaugurated in phases, with the first 520km opening in December 2022; the full corridor is 701km.
For Konkan travellers, therefore, the latest RTI figures raise a simple question beyond cost escalation: after years of revisions, deadlines and expenditure, when will the promised four-lane highway deliver the safer, predictable journey it was meant to provide?
Meanwhile officials clarified that, "Panvel to Indapur, 84 Km stretch was started in 2011 by NHAI, while Indapur to Zarap, 355 km in 10 packages was started in 2018 by MoRTH through NH PWD as their agency."