Maharashtra suspends controversial RTI rule changes after Anna Hazare protest threat
On Wednesday, the Maharashtra government put a complete hold on controversial amendments to the state's Right to Information (RTI) Rules, following intense opposition from veteran social activist Anna Hazare and transparency campaigners in Mumbai and across the state. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urged that no changes be implemented until detailed consultations are held with Hazare, leading State Chief Information Commissioner Rahul Pande to suspend all the newly amended provisions.
The decision marks a complete rollback of the revised rules that were originally notified on June 12. The government had previously partially withdrawn some provisions after facing widespread criticism, but the latest move suspends the entire set of amended rules until further discussions take place.
In a letter to the state information commission, Chief Minister Fadnavis stated that any decision on changes to the RTI framework would not be appropriate without detailed discussions with Hazare. Following this communication, the chief information commissioner stayed all amendments published through the June 12 gazette notification.
The suspension comes after Hazare threatened to launch an indefinite hunger strike. He alleged that the revised rules would dilute citizens' right to seek information, making the RTI process more expensive and restrictive. Other RTI activists and civil society organisations had also strongly opposed the amendments, arguing they would discourage ordinary citizens from using the transparency law.
The controversial June 12 notification had introduced 12 major changes to the Maharashtra RTI Rules. These changes included tripling the RTI application fee from Rs 10 to Rs 30, increasing photocopy charges from Rs 2 to Rs 5 per page, and imposing a Rs 50 fee for first appeals and Rs 100 for second appeals.
Additionally, the amendments restricted applications to a single subject and a maximum of 150 words, made photo identity proof mandatory, and allowed authorities to reject repetitive applications. They also permitted the dismissal of appeals if applicants repeatedly remained absent during hearings.
State Chief Information Commissioner Rahul Pande confirmed the suspension following a meeting with Hazare. Pande stated that the discussion focused on making the RTI regime more people-friendly, with a focus on voluntary disclosure under the RTI Act.
Prior to the stay, a group of prominent RTI activists, including former central information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi, Vijay Kumbhar, Vinita Deshmukh, Vivek Velankar, Jugal Rathi, and Mohammed Afzal, had served a legal notice to the state government. The notice warned of a challenge in the Bombay High Court if the rules were not rolled back.
