Sun Jul 06 08:00:00 UTC 2025: ## RTI Abuses Highlighted in Haryana and Kerala, Sparking Outrage
**New Delhi:** Recent cases in Haryana and Kerala have thrown a spotlight on the ongoing struggle of Indian citizens to access information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. While the RTI Act grants citizens the right to seek information from government departments and publicly funded institutions, instances of stonewalling and punitive actions against applicants are alarmingly common.
In Haryana, Kurukshetra resident Pankaj Arora filed an RTI application with the Public Health and Engineering Department seeking information regarding contracts and tenders. Instead of a straightforward response, the department demanded ₹80,000 for 40,000 pages of documents, priced at ₹2 per page. Arora paid the amount, but received a 108-kilogram stack of papers containing no answers to his questions. Arora, who had asked 15 specific questions relating to tenders, contracts, and project costs, has now filed a complaint with the Haryana State Information Commissioner, feeling cheated of his money and time.
Meanwhile, in Kerala, the State Information Commission has levied a ₹50,000 fine against the Land Revenue Department for failing to respond to an RTI request filed by Douglas E. Douglas had sought mutation papers for land in Kollam Taluk but was informed the documents were lost. The Information Commissioner, Dr. A Abdul Hakeem, has directed the department to recover the fine from those responsible for the delay, emphasizing that the RTI Act holds both individual officers and their departments accountable for failing to fulfill their obligations. The commission ordered the department to compensate Douglas for the undue loss and delays he incurred from the absence of the papers.
These cases underscore the challenges faced by citizens seeking information under the RTI Act, revealing tactics used by some government departments to obstruct transparency and accountability. The cases in Haryana and Kerala highlight the necessity to penalize departments and individual employees who do not give information to those who seek it.
First Piper 