Ahmedabad, June 4 The Gujarat government has issued fresh directives to strengthen the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
The move follows critical recommendations from the Gujarat Information Commission’s Annual Administrative Report for 2023–24, tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
According to the official circular, several citizen-friendly measures have been approved to streamline access to public information and promote proactive disclosure.
Key reforms include: Citizens will receive up to five pages of information at no cost. When RTI applications are filed via email or online platforms, the information will be provided digitally in photo format. Physical copies will not be issued in such cases. During self-inspection of records, applicants may only photograph or copy relevant information to a storage device. Physical copies will not be handed over post-inspection. All government records must be properly classified, indexed, and published on official websites for public access.
The circular also mandates that First Appellate Authorities issue detailed “Speaking Orders” after evaluating appeal documents, the original Form-A application, and responses from Public Information Officers (PIOs). PIOs are now legally bound to comply with these appellate orders.
In a major thrust towards proactive disclosure, public authorities have been instructed to regularly update Section 4(1)(b) information as per the 2009 and 2019 guidelines. Frequently requested information must be published proactively and made available free of cost or at printing charges. Additionally, the government has ordered that information about illegal constructions, undue influence, permits, and licenses must be disclosed publicly. All public authorities are required to develop automated systems that notify applicants about the status of their applications at every stage via SMS or email.
In Gujarat, the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications has shown a notable increase in recent years. According to data from the Gujarat Information Commission (GIC), there were 1,21,490 RTI applications filed in the financial year 2022–23. This figure rose to 1,31,875 applications in 2023–24, marking an 8.54 per cent year-on-year increase.
A significant portion of these applications, approximately 69 per cent, were directed towards three key departments: Home, Revenue, and Urban Development.
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