Times of India: Chennai: Wednesday, 3 September 2025.
Tamil Nadu Information Commission has condemned a self-described social activist, Varaaki, for his unruly behaviour during the hearing of eight complaints filed by him against various public information officers (PIOs).
State information
commissioner R Priyakumar observed that the actions of the complainant were
nothing but a misuse of the RTI Act by filing repetitive and voluminous RTIs on
the same subject, burdening the PIOs. The actions of the complainant showed a
pattern of harassment of PIOs, he added.
The issue pertains to eight complaints moved by Varaaki against the PIO/additional superintendent of police, Nilgiris district police, for his alleged failure to provide information sought under RTI applications. These applications pertained to mineral extraction cases, a list of A, A+, B category criminals with their parentage and current address, cases pending against political leaders, and accidents/deaths caused by hoardings, dog bites, cattle attacks, and drunken driving.
On Aug 14, when the complaints came up for hearing, the PIO did not attend the proceeding, citing Independence Day security duty. He requested an adjournment through an email dated Aug 12. The commission acknowledged this and postponed the hearing.
Agitated over the adjournment, Varaaki shouted that the commission always favours PIOs, claimed that more than 20,000 of his cases were pending, and stormed out of the hall, disrupting proceedings.
When information commissioner Priyakumar checked the records, it came to light that Varaaki filed 557 complaints before the state information commission, of which 226 were against the Nilgiris police. Some of them were adjourned on the basis of his request.
Recording its condemnation against the unruly behaviour of the complainant, the commission observed that PIOs are already full-time officers with other duties; such repetitive RTIs obstruct daily governance. Though some queries were in the public interest, most showed a pattern of harassment. Filing RTIs across multiple districts from Chennai raised doubts about genuine intent, the commission said.
Noting that RTI is a noble law for transparency, not a tool for intimidation or disruption, the commission adjourned the hearing to Oct 25, ordering the compulsory appearance of the PIO and the petitioner.
Tamil Nadu Information Commission has condemned a self-described social activist, Varaaki, for his unruly behaviour during the hearing of eight complaints filed by him against various public information officers (PIOs).
The issue pertains to eight complaints moved by Varaaki against the PIO/additional superintendent of police, Nilgiris district police, for his alleged failure to provide information sought under RTI applications. These applications pertained to mineral extraction cases, a list of A, A+, B category criminals with their parentage and current address, cases pending against political leaders, and accidents/deaths caused by hoardings, dog bites, cattle attacks, and drunken driving.
On Aug 14, when the complaints came up for hearing, the PIO did not attend the proceeding, citing Independence Day security duty. He requested an adjournment through an email dated Aug 12. The commission acknowledged this and postponed the hearing.
Agitated over the adjournment, Varaaki shouted that the commission always favours PIOs, claimed that more than 20,000 of his cases were pending, and stormed out of the hall, disrupting proceedings.
When information commissioner Priyakumar checked the records, it came to light that Varaaki filed 557 complaints before the state information commission, of which 226 were against the Nilgiris police. Some of them were adjourned on the basis of his request.
Recording its condemnation against the unruly behaviour of the complainant, the commission observed that PIOs are already full-time officers with other duties; such repetitive RTIs obstruct daily governance. Though some queries were in the public interest, most showed a pattern of harassment. Filing RTIs across multiple districts from Chennai raised doubts about genuine intent, the commission said.
Noting that RTI is a noble law for transparency, not a tool for intimidation or disruption, the commission adjourned the hearing to Oct 25, ordering the compulsory appearance of the PIO and the petitioner.
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