'Apathy Of Highest Order': Orissa High Court Criticizes Arbitrary Dropping Of RTI Proceeding By Information Commission

The Orissa High Court strongly criticized the State Information Commission for its arbitrary handling of a Right to Information appeal, ruling that bureaucratic evasion undermines the statutory purpose of transparency. The judgment highlights how authorities used contradictory positions—claiming both that information was unavailable and that it had been provided—to deny access to records. By mechanically accepting these incongruous defenses without scrutiny, the Commission allowed red tape to nullify citizens' legal rights, effectively turning the RTI Act into a "dead letter." This ruling underscores the critical need for regulatory bodies to exercise due diligence rather than defaulting to officialdom. When information commissions fail to detect blatant contradictions in state responses, they enable corruption and shield government instrumentalities from accountability. The court emphasized that ignoring such discrepancies allows the state to bypass its duty to inform the public, thereby eroding the fundamental mechanism designed to ensure governance transparency and combat administrative negligence. This case is vital to the open data movement because it reinforces the principle that data release must be substantive, not merely procedural. It demonstrates that legal frameworks for open information are ineffective without vigilant oversight that prioritizes actual transparency over bureaucratic compliance. By holding the state accountable and penalizing avoidable litigation, the decision strengthens the mandate for genuine open access to government records, ensuring that citizens can effectively scrutinize public actions and land records.

Source: livelaw.in
Published on 2025-10-14

'Apathy Of Highest Order': Orissa High Court Criticizes Arbitrary Dropping Of RTI Proceeding By Information Commission

Related news