Women make up just 9% of RTI applicants

The Asian Age: Mumbai: Tuesday, 28 October 2014.

A compilation of the data of RTI applications filed online has found that it is a male-dominated area as 91 per cent applicants were men and only nine per cent were women. Experts said as it involved writing and paperwork, women were not turning up in large numbers. The facility of filing RTI applications online was started in August 2013 for only central government establishments.

Figures obtained from Department of Personnel and Training through an RTI application shows that numbers of applicants are dwindling. In August 2013, when the online facility was launched, 7,734 men and 489 women filed online applications. In August 2014, 6,993 men and 676 women filed online applications. In last 14 months, since online facility has been launched, a total of 1,08,306 men (91 per cent) and 10,353 (nine per cent) women have filed applications online.

C.J. Karira, an activist, said, “Women have always been shy of those fields that involves interactions especially with government bodies. The nine per cent women are those who have filed application in ration card offices or hospitals and it may be personal.”

Mr Karira said he was trying to encourage women to file RTI applications. A recent study had shown that there were only seven per cent women applicants in the country. Hence, women have bettered in online filed at least.

Aftab Siddiqui, a city based woman RTI activist, said, “Women are genuine RTI applicants while I know of men who file 25 queries, most not related directly to them. I would say such men are defeating the purpose of RTI, while women applicants are choosy and focused. That is why women are in fewer number in this field.”

Maharashtra is at third position in filing RTI applications (11,776) online while Delhi (21,528) and Uttar Pradesh (14,354) occupy first and second position.

Top 10 applicants on RTI online :

1. Praveen Poddar (850), 2. Maniram Sharma (566), 3. Pavan Reddy (441), 4. Ashok Kumar Sharma (372), 5. Anonymous (329), 6. Medha Rani (268), 7. Gangadhar S. Patil (263), 8. Bishnu Kant Thakur (261), 9. Y.S.V. Prasada Rao (244) and 10. Md Masihuzzama (236); Total: 3,830 (Some 3% of total)