Dr. Shikha Mishra
New Delhi: The Congress has launched a sharp attack on the Centre over suggestions in the Economic Survey to review the Right to Information (RTI) Act, accusing the government of systematically weakening one of India’s most powerful transparency laws. The party has questioned whether, after MGNREGA, RTI is now the next target.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the Economic Survey’s recommendation to re-examine the RTI law — including the idea of a possible ministerial veto on disclosure of information — exposes the government’s intent to further curtail citizens’ right to know. In a post on X, Kharge alleged that the Centre is looking for ways to shield bureaucrats’ public service records, transfers and staff appraisal reports from public scrutiny.
“RTI has already been weakened in a planned manner,” Kharge said, pointing out that over 26,000 RTI cases remain pending by 2025, reflecting the erosion of the transparency framework.
He recalled that in 2019, the government amended the RTI Act to bring the tenure and salaries of Information Commissioners under its control, effectively turning independent watchdogs into “compliant officials”. Kharge further alleged that the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 diluted the RTI law by removing its override clause, dealing another blow to transparency.
Raising concerns over institutional neglect, Kharge said the Central Information Commission functioned without a Chief Information Commissioner till December 2025, marking the seventh time in 11 years that the post was left vacant.
The Congress chief also flagged the growing risks faced by transparency activists, stating that more than 100 RTI activists have been killed since 2014. “An atmosphere of fear has been created — one that punishes truth-tellers and silences dissent,” he said.
The Congress has warned that the government’s moves signal a deeper assault on democratic accountability, asking bluntly whether the dismantling of RTI is now on the Centre’s agenda.
