Overview
- Under a notification issued by the Department of Personnel, citizens can no longer seek information from the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau through RTI, except for limited queries on corruption or human rights.
- Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta said the step does not dilute the law and was taken to protect sensitive investigation details from disclosure.
- The order, exercised under Section 24(4) of the RTI Act, was circulated to senior officials with instructions for publication in the official e-Gazette.
- Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated the move falls within the legal framework, while officials cited central precedents where the CBI and IB are outside RTI’s scope.
- BJP leaders Randhir Sharma and Jai Ram Thakur condemned the decision as authoritarian and politically driven, questioning its timing and demanding its review or withdrawal.