20 Years of RTI: In Gujarat, Proactive Disclosures are Poor and Penalty Records are Dismal

The Wire: Delhi: Wednesday, 15^th October 2025.
A 2025 audit of 26 departments revealed that only 35% of the departments had updated their data, while 38% displayed outdated information and 8% had non-functional websites.

Two decades after the Right to Information Act became law, Gujarat’s governance is marked by poor transparency and accountability. Despite over 2.1 lakh RTI applications, proactive disclosures are inadequate, penalty records are dismal, and whistleblowers remain unprotected in the state.
The education, home, and revenue departments accounted for 58% of applications, revealing the concentration of public power in these critical sectors, The New Indian Express reported.
As per the report, the Gujarat State Information Commission (GSIC) has processed over 1.37 lakh appeals and complaints since May 2005, disposing of 1,26,540 cases and leaving 1,248 pending. Notably, no journalist or civil society member has been appointed as an information commissioner, leaving the process bureaucratic-centric.
Penalties for non-compliance have been meager, with only 1,284 public information officers (PIOs) fined Rs 1.14 crore in 20 years less than 1% of decided cases. Just 74 PIOs faced disciplinary action, reflecting a culture of opacity.
Moreover, a 2025 audit of 26 departments revealed that only 35% of the departments had updated their data, while 38% displayed outdated information and 8% had non-functional websites. The state’s digital transparency is grim, with urban development and legal departments relying on decade-old files despite Supreme Court directives.
In a statement issued on the 20th anniversary of the RTI Act, Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda said that many activists have been murdered and face threats, harassment and violence, due to which people are now afraid to use RTI.
“The Whistleblowers Protection Act has not yet been implemented. The purpose of the law was to provide protection to people who expose corruption or irregularities, but due to the apathetic attitude of the government, that protection has remained empty words,” he said.