The act, on paper, ensures absolute transparency on the part of the government regarding any and all administrative activities. However, the unfortunate -- yet expected -- reality is that most citizens barely even receive an acknowledgement for their appeals under the act, let alone the information that they are seeking.
Which is why President Abdul Hamid’s recent directive to the Information Commission regarding the proper implementation of the RTI Act is worth noting.
Under the RTI Act, any citizen can appeal for information from the government or a non-government organization, and the process takes place over three phases: Application, appeal, and complaint. If any information provided in the first phase is not satisfactory, then the appellant is expected to proceed to the subsequent phases.
And yet, a startling 60% or so of such appeals never get a response, according to a survey commissioned by the World Bank a few years ago.
Provisions such as the RTI Act exist for a reason, which is to hold our national bureaucracy accountable through absolute transparency. While it is entirely understandable that certain information can be considered sensitive and not intended for public disclosure, it is nothing short of a failure of our system when citizens are robbed of their ability to ask questions entirely.
What was even the point for such a provision in the first place, if its implementation is so inefficient?
In a nation that is experiencing exponential levels of development, provisions such as the RTI Act will become increasingly more relevant. To that end, it is heartening to see that the absolute highest seats of our government recognize such needs. But such endeavours cannot end at mere words; implementation is key.