Information Commissioner Highlights RTI Non-Compliance by State Entities

During Tuesday's Independent Institutions Committee meeting, Ahid reported that the Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM) received 214 new cases this year, in addition to 44 pending from 2023. Investigations into 115 of these cases have been completed.

Ahid revealed that 90% of complaints involved public entities refusing to disclose information, while the remaining complaints were related to grievances over responses from information officers. He expressed concern over this trend and noted that ICOM is severely understaffed.

"State bodies are not complying with the RTI Act," Ahid emphasized, adding that better compliance would reduce the workload for ICOM and ease the process for information seekers. He mentioned that some entities provided various excuses to avoid disclosure, such as claiming a lack of resources, which delays information dissemination.

To address these issues, ICOM is collaborating with agencies to find solutions and is compiling a report on non-compliance. Ahid also mentioned that while fines are not seen as a primary solution, they remain a possible last resort.

ICOM has referred two non-compliance cases to the Prosecutor General's Office, with ten more cases expected soon. By law, ICOM must complete investigations within 30 days, with a possible extension of up to 15 days.

The growing non-compliance among state entities has raised concerns among the public regarding the effectiveness of the RTI Act.