SC seeks response of 11 states on plea seeking setting up of RTI portals

The Supreme Court has sought responses from 11 states, including Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand, on a plea alleging that they are yet to set up Right to Information (RTI) portals under the transparency law in pursuance of a 2023 judgment.

In the landmark judgment, the top court had on March 20 last year directed all states, Union territories and high courts to set up RTI websites within three months, saying the online facilities would considerably facilitate the fulfilment of the objects of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

On Monday, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala took note of the submissions of a lawyer, representing petitioner Anuj Nakade, that as many as 11 states have not set up their RTI websites.

“Counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner states that the following states and Union territories have yet to comply with the judgment of this court dated 20 March 2023 requiring the setting up of online RTI portals: Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Arunachal Pradesh,” the bench noted in an order.

The top court also said that in the states where RTI portals have been set up, the portals do not meet the accessibility and usability standards under the guidelines for Indian government websites and apps.

“Finally, it has been submitted that there are various public authorities which have not been onboarded on the RTI portal. Issue notice to the states and UTs, returnable on October 21,” it said.

The plea, however, said the personal presence of the state officials is dispensed with at this stage.

The top court’s 2023 judgment also directed all high courts to set up RTI websites within three months.

Penned by the CJI, the verdict said that the apex court had also set up a portal for RTI applications to help people access information about the top court.

The top court was then hearing a plea seeking a direction to the registrar general of all high courts to establish and operationalise an online RTI portal, both for the high courts as well as the district judiciary.

Regarding the district judiciary, which is under the administrative control of the high courts, the bench had asked the registrar general of high courts to take administrative directions from the chief justice.

In the apex court, an RTI online portal was launched in November 2022 to help people access information about the Supreme Court.

Before this, RTI applications concerning the top court were being filed through the post only.