Polity – Two Decades of the RTI Act: Diminishing Transparency

As the Right to Information Act, 2005 completes 20 years, its effectiveness has weakened due to institutional decay and restrictive laws. Chronic vacancies in Information Commissions have created massive backlogs, while politically influenced appointments undermine independence.

With penalty provisions rarely enforced, officials face little consequence for denial or delay. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 has further curtailed access, signalling a retreat from the RTI’s original goal of transparent and accountable governance.