Commission rebukes officers for arbitrary denial of RTI information

By A Representative

The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has imposed a penalty of ₹5,000 on the () of in for denying information to an RTI applicant by misinterpreting an earlier order of the Commission.

The Commission has also recommended disciplinary action against the , who acted as the , for negligence of duty.

The case pertains to a petition filed by applicant Pankaj Kamalashankar Rai regarding RTI queries submitted on documents related to house number allotment and construction permits involving . The PIO rejected the request, claiming that the petitioner had submitted more than , allegedly exceeding a permissible limit. The First Appellate Authority upheld the denial on the same grounds.

However, at a hearing held on 14 November 2025, the Commission clarified that its earlier February 2025 order—issued in Appeal Nos. A-2178-2024 and A-2739-2024—restricting specific applicants from filing more than 12 applications was applicable only to those particular applicants and not to the general public.

The Commission observed that officers across the state had begun demanding “confirmation forms” from RTI applicants and rejecting requests on the grounds of exceeding 12 applications, leading to widespread harassment and unnecessary appeals.

While penalising the PIO, the Commission noted that both the PIO and First Appellate Authority denied information without proper examination and by deliberately misinterpreting the order. It called the conduct a failure of duty and recommended action under the .

However, the Commission ultimately rejected the applicant’s requested information since it pertained to third-party records protected under , which covers personal details such as name, address, property transfer and construction permissions. The Commission found no demonstrated larger public interest to justify disclosure.

Social activists hope that the ruling will put an end to incorrect interpretation of the “12 RTI applications” order and provide relief to citizens facing arbitrary rejection of information requests.

Grain vs. gasoline: How the global biofuel boom threatens India’s food and water security

By Rajiv Shah A new report published by the international research and advocacy organization GRAIN has warned that the global resurgence of biofuels is triggering a dangerous dynamic of “more fuel, less food, more land grabs.” Driven by intersecting energy security concerns, geopolitical tensions, and aggressive decarbonization mandates, the expanding agrofuel industry is increasingly pitting corporate energy interests against global food security and indigenous land rights.

Can free‑living Indian street dogs teach us about how to care for pet dogs?

By Daniel Ramp, Kapil Vishwas Patwardhan, Rosalie Chapple We give our pet dogs shelter, veterinary care, affection, training and play. We decide when they eat, where they sleep, when they go outside, who they meet, and how they move through the world.

Sikkim governor row: ALIFA asks centre to explain hurried appointment in Ankita Bhandari case

By A Representative The All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) on Saturday expressed “immense pain and outrage” that even after four years and a national uproar, justice has not been fully delivered in the Ankita Bhandari murder case and that a ruling party politician facing allegations has been “gifted a high-ranking constitutional office.” In a statement, ALIFA extended “unflinching solidarity” to Ankita’s parents, who it said are “fighting for justice on the streets of Delhi,” and demanded that pending the CBI inquiry and judicial decision, the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim’s Governor be subject to “immediate presidential review.”

Counterview

Search This Blog