The Telangana High Court has directed the Telangana State Information Commission (TSIC) to dispose of 404 pending second appeals and complaints filed by an RTI activist within three months, underlining the importance of timely access to information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. The court observed that prolonged delays in deciding RTI appeals undermine the objective of the transparency law and can deny citizens their right to information.
The order was passed by Justice Surepalli Nanda while hearing a writ petition filed by RTI activist Vaddam Shyam, secretary of the Jana Telangana Rights Society. The petitioner informed the court that despite an earlier High Court direction issued in September 2025, the Information Commission had not issued fresh notices or conducted hearings on his pending appeals and complaints.
The dispute arose after the TSIC had previously attempted to list all 404 cases for hearing on a single day without providing case-specific details. The High Court had set aside that notice and instructed the Commission to issue fresh notices containing the particulars of each appeal and complaint before taking them up in manageable batches. The latest order reiterates that those directions must now be implemented without further delay.
During the hearing, the Telangana State Information Commission informed the court that one of its Information Commissioners had been on leave for nearly six months and resumed office only recently, contributing to the accumulation of pending cases. The Commission assured the court that it would comply with the directions and begin clearing the backlog.
The High Court also instructed the TSIC to issue fresh notices to the petitioner in accordance with its earlier order and to follow the Supreme Court’s guidelines on the use of technology to improve access to justice and streamline case management. The court emphasized that efficient handling of RTI appeals is essential for maintaining transparency and public accountability in governance.
The judgment is expected to provide relief not only to the petitioner but also to other RTI applicants awaiting decisions before the Commission. Transparency advocates have welcomed the order, expressing hope that it will help reduce pendency, improve the functioning of the Information Commission, and strengthen citizens’ right to obtain information from public authorities in a timely manner.