The Hans India: Telangana: 23 August 2025.
The Right to Information
(RTI) Act, 2005, designed as a powerful instrument for ensuring transparency
and accountability in governance, faces challenges due to rising pendency of
cases and uneven implementation across districts. This concern was highlighted
during an RTI awareness conference held at the Collectorate in Jogulamba Gadwal
on Friday under the leadership of State Information Commissioner P.V. Srinivas
Rao.
The event saw the participation of fellow Commissioners Desala Bhupal and Smt. Vaishnavi Merla, District Collector B.M. Santosh, Superintendent of Police Srinivas Rao, Additional Collector Lakshminarayana, RDO Alivelu, and several PIOs and Appellate Authorities.
Commissioner’s Address: Transparency is the Core
Addressing the gathering, Commissioner P.V. Srinivas Rao stressed that the RTI Act was enacted to guarantee transparent, accountable, and citizen-centric governance. He instructed all government departments to mandatorily display Citizen’s Charters so that people know their rights and service timelines.
He revealed that nearly 17,000 RTI cases are pending across Telangana over the past three years. To address this backlog, the Commission has launched district-level tours, resolving many appeals on the spot. “So far, visits to eight districts have resulted in immediate redressal of long-pending applications,” he said.
Jogulamba Gadwal, he noted, is among the districts where fewer RTI applications are being filed a sign that citizens may not be fully aware of their rights under the law.
“RTI is not something to fear. It is a tool to strengthen democracy. If implemented sincerely, it reduces corruption and builds public trust. India currently ranks 8th in the world in RTI implementation. With stronger commitment, we can aim for the top spot,” he stated.
Collector’s Observations: Officers Must Strengthen Implementation
District Collector B.M. Santosh underlined that the Act consists of 31 sections, and every officer must understand it thoroughly. He noted that the state government had recently appointed new commissioners to strengthen implementation and reduce pendency.
“From this year, appeal cases that remained unresolved are being specially addressed at the Collectorate level. It is the responsibility of every PIO to ensure timely and accurate responses to citizens as per the Act,” he said.
Awareness and Directions
Commissioners Bhupal and Vaishnavi Merla gave detailed guidance to officers on the proper handling of applications, appeals, and proactive disclosure. They also clarified doubts raised by participants. Pending RTI applications were taken up during the session, and directions were issued immediately after hearing from PIOs and applicants.
The Commissioners were later felicitated with shawls and mementos by the Collector and SP.
Citizen Concerns
While officials stressed stronger compliance, citizens remain concerned about:
Experts warn that large-scale pendency of RTI cases has wider implications for the country:
Both Commissioners and District officials agreed that stronger enforcement of Section 4(1)(b) proactive disclosure is the key to reducing RTI applications and appeals. They also stressed the need for:
The Jogulamba Gadwal RTI awareness session served as both a review of progress and a reminder of challenges. With 17,000 cases pending, the RTI framework in Telangana requires urgent strengthening. For India’s democratic governance and development goals to succeed, RTI must remain a living tool of transparency, not a law weakened by delays.
The event saw the participation of fellow Commissioners Desala Bhupal and Smt. Vaishnavi Merla, District Collector B.M. Santosh, Superintendent of Police Srinivas Rao, Additional Collector Lakshminarayana, RDO Alivelu, and several PIOs and Appellate Authorities.
Commissioner’s Address: Transparency is the Core
Addressing the gathering, Commissioner P.V. Srinivas Rao stressed that the RTI Act was enacted to guarantee transparent, accountable, and citizen-centric governance. He instructed all government departments to mandatorily display Citizen’s Charters so that people know their rights and service timelines.
He revealed that nearly 17,000 RTI cases are pending across Telangana over the past three years. To address this backlog, the Commission has launched district-level tours, resolving many appeals on the spot. “So far, visits to eight districts have resulted in immediate redressal of long-pending applications,” he said.
Jogulamba Gadwal, he noted, is among the districts where fewer RTI applications are being filed a sign that citizens may not be fully aware of their rights under the law.
“RTI is not something to fear. It is a tool to strengthen democracy. If implemented sincerely, it reduces corruption and builds public trust. India currently ranks 8th in the world in RTI implementation. With stronger commitment, we can aim for the top spot,” he stated.
Collector’s Observations: Officers Must Strengthen Implementation
District Collector B.M. Santosh underlined that the Act consists of 31 sections, and every officer must understand it thoroughly. He noted that the state government had recently appointed new commissioners to strengthen implementation and reduce pendency.
“From this year, appeal cases that remained unresolved are being specially addressed at the Collectorate level. It is the responsibility of every PIO to ensure timely and accurate responses to citizens as per the Act,” he said.
Awareness and Directions
Commissioners Bhupal and Vaishnavi Merla gave detailed guidance to officers on the proper handling of applications, appeals, and proactive disclosure. They also clarified doubts raised by participants. Pending RTI applications were taken up during the session, and directions were issued immediately after hearing from PIOs and applicants.
The Commissioners were later felicitated with shawls and mementos by the Collector and SP.
Citizen Concerns
While officials stressed stronger compliance, citizens remain concerned about:
- Delays in receiving information, which defeat the very purpose of RTI.
- Loss of trust in government institutions due to long pendency.
- Denial of justice and benefits when answers arrive too late.
- Harassment and fear in cases involving corruption-related queries.
- Inequality in access, as poor and rural citizens often lack the means to pursue delayed appeals.
Experts warn that large-scale pendency of RTI cases has wider implications for the country:
- Transparency in public spending weakens, enabling corruption in development projects and welfare schemes.
- Citizens’ participation in governance through social audits is undermined.
- Investor confidence may suffer if transparency standards fall.
- Marginalized communities lose access to vital entitlements like pensions, scholarships, and subsidies.
- Judicial burden increases, as citizens approach courts when Commissions fail to act swiftly.
- Policy reforms slow down, as civil society lacks timely data for analysis.
- Public trust in governance erodes, which can destabilize development initiatives.
Both Commissioners and District officials agreed that stronger enforcement of Section 4(1)(b) proactive disclosure is the key to reducing RTI applications and appeals. They also stressed the need for:
- Quarterly training programs for officials.
- Digital RTI tracking systems for transparency.
- Faster disposal of pending cases through special drives.
- Public awareness campaigns so citizens can use RTI responsibly and effectively.
The Jogulamba Gadwal RTI awareness session served as both a review of progress and a reminder of challenges. With 17,000 cases pending, the RTI framework in Telangana requires urgent strengthening. For India’s democratic governance and development goals to succeed, RTI must remain a living tool of transparency, not a law weakened by delays.
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