What’s the issue?
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has written to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, warning that a proposed amendment to the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 will severely harm transparency.
The concern is over Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, which places a blanket ban on sharing any personal information under RTI.
Government’s Stand:
Mr. Vaishnaw replied that the aim is to prevent misuse of RTI and protect privacy. He assured that essential public information, like government officials’ salaries, will still be available.
Opposition’s Counterpoints (Jairam Ramesh’s Four Key Points):
Section 3 of the DPDP Act is irrelevant since the RTI Act itself has been amended — now all personal data is exempt from disclosure, regardless of public interest.
Existing RTI law already balances privacy and transparency, backed by several court rulings.
The removal of the proviso equating citizens' rights to legislators’ rights in accessing information is unjustified.
The Puttaswamy judgment on privacy never recommended amending the RTI Act. It instead upholds both privacy and transparency as essential.
Public Reaction:
Civil society groups, digital rights activists, and over 130 Opposition MPs have criticized the amendment, saying it will cripple citizens’ right to know.
What’s Next?
The DPDP Act is yet to be notified. Once implemented, the changes to the RTI Act will come into effect — sparking fears of reduced transparency in government functioning.
COMMENTS