SC Issues Notices to States, UTs on Plea Alleging Failure To Set Up Online RTI Portals
Satyendra Wankhade (Bar  and  Bench) 24 September 2024
The Supreme Court has issued notice to all States and Union Territories (UTs) on a contempt of court petition alleging non-compliance with directions to set up online Right to Information (RTI) portals (Anuj Nakade v Dr Poonam Malakondaiah Govt. of Andhra Pradesh & Ors).
 
A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala issued notice returnable on October 21.
 
The Court passed the interim order on a contempt of court petition by Anuj Nakade.
 
Nakade has submitted that seven States and four Union Territories have yet to establish online RTI portals, despite a March 2023 directive by the Supreme Court to do so within three months.
 
The States and UTs mentioned in the plea include:
• Andhra Pradesh
• Jharkhand
• Manipur
• Nagaland
• Sikkim
• West Bengal
• Arunachal Pradesh
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli
• Jammu and Kashmir
• Lakshadweep
 
Moreover, the plea claimed that even in States where RTI portals have been set up, the portals do not meet the accessibility and usability standards under the Guidelines for Indian Government Websites and Apps 3.0. 
 
It further alleged that there are various public authorities which have not been onboarded on the RTI portal.
 
After hearing submissions in the matter, the Court has asked all States and Union Territories to respond by October 21. 
 
Comments
Meenal Mamdani
1 week ago
Wonderful. At last the Supreme Court is making sure that wrongdoing will be exposed by RTI activists.
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