Status: Done
Hyderabad: Telangana’s Right to Information (RTI) online platform has delisted several key govt departments, making it difficult for citizens to file online applications for crucial public information.
Key departments such as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), forest department, irrigation and revenue departments, the municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) department, and Hyderabad Growth Corridor Limited (HGCL) are missing from the RTI portal.
Currently, only 131 departments are listed on the site. Access to many of these departments remains sketchy. Some district offices of departments like health and agriculture are included, but not all districts are covered. This fragmented approach has forced citizens to rely on offline applications, defeating the purpose of having a digital RTI platform meant to improve transparency and accessibility.
Several individuals who recently attempted to file RTI requests found out that their desired departments were not listed on the portal, leaving them with no choice but to visit govt offices in person. Shivani U, who is doing her PhD in environmental science, wanted information from the forest fepartment regarding tree-felling permissions granted in the city over the past year. However, she was unable to find the department on the RTI portal. “I was surprised that such a crucial department is not listed. The only option now is to physically file an RTI application, which is inconvenient and time-consuming,” she said.
Similarly, Lavanya Prasad, a resident of Warangal, sought details on land acquisition in her area from the revenue department. While she found a listing for ‘Revenue Divisional Office- Hanumankonda, Huzurabad’ etc, her district’s office was missing. “It makes no sense to have only a few district units listed and not the entire department. People from other districts such as me are left with no online option. Where is the accountability from the govt regarding this?” she said.
Legal experts argue that Telangana’s RTI platform needs an urgent overhaul to align with best practices followed in other states. “Ensuring a comprehensive and citizen-friendly RTI system is essential for transparent governance in Telangana. A well-integrated portal would align with the objectives of the RTI Act, 2005, and set a better standard for accountability,” said Ram Challa Kalyan, an advocate.
He pointed out that states like Karnataka and Maharashtra have successfully implemented fully integrated RTI portals, covering entire departments and all their district and sub-district offices. “These portals provide seamless filing, fee payment, status tracking, and appeal mechanisms, reflecting the true spirit of transparency and good governance. Since the right to information is a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, Telangana must expand and reorganise its RTI portal to include all govt bodies and local offices under a single-window system,” he added.
Officials from the Telangana Information Commission (TGIC), which looks after the RTI portal, shared that these departments were removed at the behest of the IT & communications team of the state govt. “The chief post is also vacant. So they were removed until the post was filled. It is a nominated post by the Governor and the CM of the state,” said an official from TGIC.
