Kochi Corporation's RTI curbs draw criticism from legal experts

The Kochi Corporation's move to restrict serial RTI applicants has triggered significant pushback from transparency advocates and legal experts who contend that the proposed restrictions run counter to the foundational principles of the Right to Information Act.

A prominent Supreme Court lawyer, Kaleeswaram Raj, has challenged the initiative, pointing out that the RTI Act contains no statutory limit on the number of applications an individual or organization can submit. The Act's framework deliberately avoids imposing such ceilings to ensure citizens can exercise their constitutional right to access government information without arbitrary constraints.

The Corporation's attempt to regulate what it perceives as frivolous or repetitive RTI filings has been characterized by critics as an overreach that could potentially obstruct legitimate public scrutiny. Legal observers argue that distinguishing between "abusive" and legitimate applications is subjective and risks becoming a tool for suppressing genuine information requests.

Civil society groups have indicated they plan to challenge the Corporation's directive, maintaining that any restrictions on RTI applications must align with the statutory provisions and judicial precedents established around India's transparency legislation. The dispute underscores ongoing tensions between government bodies seeking administrative efficiency and citizen groups advocating for unfettered access to public information.