{"id":332892,"date":"2025-04-15T13:23:49","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T07:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=332892"},"modified":"2025-04-15T13:23:49","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T07:53:49","slug":"rti-amendment-via-dpdp-act-2023-explained-pointwise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/rti-amendment-via-dpdp-act-2023-explained-pointwise\/","title":{"rendered":"RTI Amendment via DPDP Act, 2023- Explained Pointwise"},"content":{"rendered":"

The <\/span>Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005<\/b>, hailed as a revolutionary step towards transparency and accountability in governance, is now facing a significant dilution through <\/span>Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023<\/b>. This amendment <\/span>alters Section 8(1)(j)<\/b> of the RTI Act, effectively <\/span>removing the public interest override<\/b> and restricting access to all “personal information”.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the minister<\/span> warns<\/b>, this will have a “<\/span>devastating effect<\/b> on the transparency law”. Over <\/span>30 civil society groups<\/b>, backed by <\/span>130 opposition MPs<\/b>, have raised alarm. This issue underlines the delicate balance between the right<\/span> to privacy<\/b> (as upheld in <\/span>K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India, 2017<\/b>) and <\/span>right to information<\/b>\u2014both derived from <\/span>Article 21 of the Constitution<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Table of Content<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What is Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005?<\/a>
\nWhat is the significance of RTI Act, 2005 across Sectors?<\/a>
\nWhat are the issues with Recent Amendment (Section 44(3) of DPDP Act, 2023)?<\/a>
\nWhat are the current challenges to the RTI Framework and its impact across different sectors?<\/a>
\nWhat should be the Way Forward?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>What is Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Objective<\/strong>: The RTI Act was enacted to enhance transparency and accountability in government operations by empowering citizens to access information held by public authorities.<\/p>\n

Coverage<\/strong>: The Act extends to all public authorities, including central and state government bodies, ministries, and institutions significantly financed by the government.<\/p>\n

Access to Information<\/strong>: Under this law, citizens can seek information in the form of records, documents, reports, and data from public authorities, thereby promoting openness in governance.<\/p>\n

Exemptions<\/strong>: Certain categories of information are exempt from disclosure\u2014particularly those that could jeopardize national security, violate confidentiality, or interfere with active investigations.<\/p>\n

Response Timeline<\/strong>: Authorities must furnish the requested information within 30 days. In specific situations, this timeline may be extended up to 45 days.<\/p>\n

Penal Provisions<\/strong>: Officials who unjustifiably deny information or provide misleading details may face penalties as per the provisions of the Act.<\/p>\n

<\/a>What is the significance of RTI Act, 2005 across Sectors?<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

1. Strengthening Governance and Accountability: A<\/b>s per <\/span>Central Information Commission reports<\/b> over <\/span>3 crore RTI applications<\/b> have been filed since 2005.<\/span> Exposed several scams: <\/span>Adarsh Housing Scam<\/b>, <\/span>Vyapam<\/b>, and <\/span>Ration distribution irregularities<\/b> through <\/span>social audits<\/b>.<\/span> Ensures accountability of <\/span>public servants<\/b> through access to information like <\/span>educational qualifications, salary records<\/b>, and <\/span>property declarations<\/b>.<\/span> Case Study: <\/b>Social audits under RTI helped expose ration distribution fraud in various states like Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Strengthening Democratic Participation: <\/b>RTI promotes <\/span>citizen-led oversight<\/b> and informed public discourse. Ensures <\/span>parity of information access<\/b> between citizens and legislators. <\/span>E.g. Over 13 lakh RTIs filed annually (CIC 2022-23).<\/b><\/p>\n

3. Social Justice and Welfare Delivery<\/b>: RTI has been used extensively to obtain information related to <\/span>welfare schemes (MGNREGA, PDS, pensions, etc.)<\/b>, empowering marginalized communities. <\/span>Case Study:<\/b> In Madhya Pradesh, activists used RTI to expose ghost beneficiaries in the Public Distribution System (PDS).<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Judiciary and Executive Oversight: <\/b>RTI flows from<\/span> Article 19(1)(a) (Freedom of Speech and Expression). In Central Public Information Officer, Supreme Court of India v. Subhash Chandra Agarwal (2019)<\/b> \u2013 held that the office of the CJI falls under RTI.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Environmental and Public Health: <\/b>RTIs have exposed issues in <\/span>environmental clearances<\/b>, <\/span>pollution data<\/b>, and <\/span>COVID-19 relief fund utilization<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>What are the i<\/span><\/b>ssues with Recent Amendment (Section 44(3) of DPDP Act, 2023)?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

1. Deletion of Public Interest Clause: <\/b>Section 8(1)(j) originally allowed disclosure of personal information if <\/span>\u201clarger public interest justifies it.\u201d <\/b>The DPDP Act <\/span>removes this proviso<\/b>, creating a <\/span>blanket ban<\/b> on disclosure of all personal information.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Against the Spirit of Puttaswamy Judgment: <\/b>The <\/span>K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017)<\/b> judgment upheld the <\/span>Right to Privacy<\/b> as a fundamental right.<\/span> However, it also stated that <\/span>\u201cprivacy and transparency are not mutually exclusive but complementary.\u201d <\/b>owhere did the judgment recommend amending the RTI Act.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Weakening Institutional Transparency: <\/b>The amendment violates the RTI Act\u2019s principle that <\/span>no information denied to Parliament shall be denied to a citizen<\/b>. <\/span>Deletion of this proviso affects all of Section 8(1)<\/b> and weakens the spirit of <\/span>democratic oversight<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Misuse of “Personal Information” Definition: <\/b>The DPDP Act vaguely defines \u201cpersonal information\u201d, enabling authorities to <\/span>deny access to previously public records<\/b> under the <\/span>garb of privacy<\/b>. The <\/span>DPDP Act defines personal information vaguely<\/b>, potentially covering, educational qualifications, Disciplinary actions, Property records and Minutes of public meetings. E.g. <\/span>Fake caste certificate<\/b> cases or qualification disputes (e.g., Maharashtra bureaucrat case) may go unverified.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Procedural and Legislative Bypass: <\/b>Amendment was passed through a <\/span>side clause (Section 44(3))<\/b> without <\/span>detailed parliamentary scrutiny<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Judicial Responses: <\/b>Supreme Court in <\/span>Anjali Bhardwaj vs Union of India (2019)<\/i><\/b>, <\/b>delays in appointments to Commissions defeat the purpose of RTI.<\/span> Despite petitions, no rollback of the 2019 amendments yet.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Civil Society Pushback: <\/b>NCPRI, Article 21 Trust, PUCL, SFLC India have vocally opposed the amendment.<\/span> Activists like <\/span>Anjali Bhardwaj and Nikhil Dey<\/b> have warned that this will <\/span>cripple social audits<\/b> and verification of public service delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>What are the current challenges to the RTI Framework and its impact across different sectors?<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Challenge<\/b><\/td>\nDetails<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Backlog & Vacancies<\/b><\/td>\nOver <\/span>3 lakh appeals pending<\/b> (Satark Nagrik Sangathan, 2023).<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dilution of Autonomy<\/b><\/td>\nRTI (Amendment) Act 2019 gave the Centre power to decide <\/span>tenure and salaries<\/b> of CIC\/SICs.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Opaque Governance<\/b><\/td>\nOfficers’ transfers, disciplinary records, assets can now be withheld<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Threat to Activists<\/b><\/td>\nOver <\/span>100 RTI activists killed<\/b>; no functional <\/span>whistleblower protection (Report by Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative).<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Non-compliance<\/b><\/td>\n45% of public authorities failed Section 4 disclosures<\/b> (Status of RTI Report 2022).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Low Awareness<\/b><\/td>\nEspecially among rural, SC\/ST, and women<\/b> (NSSO Report 2018).<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Misuse and Vagueness<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/td>\n		Vague RTIs or misuse by vested interests increases administrative burden.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Impact Across Sectors<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Sector<\/b><\/td>\nImpact<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Public Services<\/b><\/td>\nNo way to verify distribution of rations, pensions, or benefits<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Education & Employment<\/b><\/td>\nDegrees, appointments, promotions may remain unverified<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Legislative Oversight<\/b><\/td>\nCitizens lose access to data accessible to MPs\/MLAs<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Anti-Corruption Efforts<\/b><\/td>\nTransparency in scams involving public servants weakened<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Environmental Governance<\/b><\/td>\nAccess to clearance reports, data on polluters may be curtailed<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>What should be the Way Forward?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

1. Repeal or Revise the RTI-DPDP Amendment: <\/b>Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act should be repealed. Retain the <\/span>\u201cpublic interest\u201d safeguard<\/b> in Section 8(1)(j). Restore <\/span>fixed tenure and pay parity<\/b> for CIC\/SICs. Implement <\/span>recommendations of 2nd ARC<\/b> and <\/span>Law Commission<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Define \u2018Personal Information\u2019 Clearly: <\/b>Adopt standards based on <\/span>OECD Privacy Guidelines<\/b>, with <\/span>narrow definitions<\/b> and <\/span>public interest exceptions<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Uphold Proportionality Doctrine: <\/b>Follow <\/span>B.K. Pavitra v. Union of India (2020)<\/b> which applied proportionality in administrative actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Ensure Parliamentary Scrutiny: <\/b>Future amendments to transparency laws must be passed <\/span>after detailed debates and standing committee reviews<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Strengthen Information Commissions: <\/b>Fill vacancies, increase budget allocation.<\/span> Ensure <\/span>functional autonomy and security of tenure<\/b>.<\/span> E.g. <\/b>As per PRS India, the Central Information Commission received only \u20b937 crore in Budget 2023-24 \u2014 insufficient for 2 lakh+ pending cases.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Strengthen the CIC: <\/b>Empower CIC with enforcement powers, as recommended by the <\/span>2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC)<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Balance Privacy and Transparency: <\/b>Formulate rules under <\/span>DPDP Act<\/b> ensuring <\/span>narrow and specific definition of \u201cpersonal information.\u201d <\/b>Establish <\/span>public interest tests<\/b> through an independent authority.<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Promote Proactive Disclosure: <\/b>Strengthen <\/span>Section 4 of RTI Act<\/b> \u2014 suo motu disclosures by public authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Reports and Recommendations<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Report\/Body<\/b><\/td>\nKey Recommendation<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2nd ARC Report<\/b><\/td>\nStrengthen proactive disclosure; protect whistleblowers<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Law Commission (255th Report)<\/b><\/td>\nEnsure transparency in public appointments<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
CIC Annual Reports<\/b><\/td>\nUrged filling of vacancies and increased awareness<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

10. <\/span>Comparative Global Models<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Country<\/b><\/td>\nKey Feature<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sweden (1766)<\/b><\/td>\nFirst RTI law, based on “Principle of Public Access to Official Documents”.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
USA (FOIA, 1966)<\/b><\/td>\nJudicial remedy for delays; well-defined appellate mechanism<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mexico<\/b><\/td>\nAutonomous Information Commission; RTI law part of Constitution<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
South Africa<\/b><\/td>\nRTI guaranteed under Bill of Rights; includes private bodies if rights are implicated.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Conclusion<\/b><\/p>\n

The RTI Act is <\/span>not just a legal instrument<\/b>, but a <\/span>democratic lifeline<\/b> that empowers citizens to hold the State accountable. As Mr. M.M. Ansari rightly notes, the current provisions were already <\/span>\u201cvery balanced\u201d<\/b>, safeguarding privacy while ensuring transparency. The amendment through the DPDP Act <\/span>erodes this balance<\/b>, endangering public accountability. As India celebrates 20 years of RTI, the need is not to weaken but to <\/span>deepen transparency<\/b>, keeping intact the spirit of <\/span>participatory democracy<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read more<\/strong>– The Hindu<\/a>
\nUPSC Syllabus- GS 2<\/strong>– Governance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, hailed as a revolutionary step towards transparency and accountability in governance, is now facing a significant dilution through Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023. This amendment alters Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, effectively removing the public interest override and restricting access to… Continue reading RTI Amendment via DPDP Act, 2023- Explained Pointwise<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-332892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-pm","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10367"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=332892"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332892\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=332892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=332892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=332892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}