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Anna Hazare Threatens Hunger Strike Over Maharashtra RTI Rules

Activists say the new state rules raise fees and add procedural limits that will shift burdens to citizens and could deter whistleblowers, prompting Hazare to demand a full rollback or begin a fast on July 5.

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Overview

  • The Maharashtra General Administration Department replaced the 2005 state RTI rules with the Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2026 in a gazette published on June 12 that is set to take effect from July 5.
  • Anna Hazare has called the June 12 changes illegal and warned he will begin an indefinite hunger strike on July 5 if the government does not withdraw the amendments.
  • The state has removed the clause forcing applicants to state the purpose for requests after it conflicted with Section 6(2) of the national RTI Act, but most contested provisions remain in force.
  • Key contested changes include raising the application fee from ₹10 to ₹30, charging for photocopies and digital pages, fees for first and second appeals, a 150-word cap, a one-subject-per-application rule, mandatory photo ID and limits on repeat requests and legal representation at hearings.
  • Activists warn the rules will make access costlier and more technical, could expose or block whistleblowers, and may prompt mass protests or legal challenges while the government has not issued a substantive public response.