CIC stresses on checking RTI misuse

Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur today stressed on the need to check misuse of RTI, saying merely filing applications clogs the entire system.
Addressing national seminar on Peoples Right to Information here as the chief guest, he said about 35,000 cases are pending with the transparency watchdog of which 5,000 have been filed by 75 people.
"We need to desist from this tendency as it clogs the entire system," he said.
The CIC said there is one person who has alone filed 600 complaints. "Some complaint are only mischievous in nature," he said.
Mathur stressing on effective checking the misuse of RTI described the RTI Act as a strong instrument to strengthen participatory democracy.

"RTI is an instrument to strengthen democracy in the country and so its success is essential for the strength of democracy," he said.

Mathur said there is lack of trust towards the government and the RTI will go a long way in filling the gap between people and government.
Citing the example of northern Europe, he said such a law was enacted there some 200 years ago and they do not have any requirement for it now.
"RTI should be so successful that there was no requirement left for it in the country and things become fully transparent," the CIC added.