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Politics
Public Authorities Lag in Disclosing Mandatory RTI Information, Report Finds
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 13 Oct 2026, 09:39 AM
👁 12
A review of Section 4 of the Right‑to‑Information Act reveals that many government bodies have not voluntarily disclosed the 16 categories of information the law mandates.
A recent analysis highlighted serious gaps in the implementation of the Right‑to‑Information (RTI) Act, noting that public authorities are falling short of the voluntary disclosure requirements laid out in Section 4.
Section 4 enumerates sixteen distinct categories of information – ranging from organisational structure and financial statements to service delivery statistics – that every public authority must make publicly available without waiting for a specific request.
The Hindu reports that a substantial number of ministries, state departments and local bodies have not posted these details on their websites or in public offices, contrary to the Act’s provisions. This non‑compliance undermines the transparency objective that the RTI legislation was designed to achieve.
Experts warn that the failure to disclose mandatory information could erode public trust and hamper citizens’ ability to hold officials accountable. They urge the Central Information Commission to enforce stricter compliance and consider penalties for persistent violators.
The findings underscore the need for a systematic audit of RTI disclosures across all levels of government to ensure that the law’s spirit of openness is fully realised.
Section 4 enumerates sixteen distinct categories of information – ranging from organisational structure and financial statements to service delivery statistics – that every public authority must make publicly available without waiting for a specific request.
The Hindu reports that a substantial number of ministries, state departments and local bodies have not posted these details on their websites or in public offices, contrary to the Act’s provisions. This non‑compliance undermines the transparency objective that the RTI legislation was designed to achieve.
Experts warn that the failure to disclose mandatory information could erode public trust and hamper citizens’ ability to hold officials accountable. They urge the Central Information Commission to enforce stricter compliance and consider penalties for persistent violators.
The findings underscore the need for a systematic audit of RTI disclosures across all levels of government to ensure that the law’s spirit of openness is fully realised.