The Andhra Pradesh State Information Commission has dismissed 102 appeals filed by B. Gopal of Kuderampalli village in Anantapur district, saying his repeated use of the Right to Information Act appeared to be driven by personal motives rather than public interest.
Chief Information Commissioner Vajja Srinivas Rao and State Information Commissioner Gajula Adenna directed officials not to entertain future RTI applications from Gopal if they were found to be intended for personal gain. The order followed hearings on August 20, September 9 and September 15, during which officials submitted details of his applications.
According to the Commission’s observations, Gopal had filed more than 300 RTI applications since 2002. Officials said several of the applications were repetitive and sought information on issues that had already been answered. The Commission also said some requests sought explanations, grievance redressal and action-taken reports, which it held were beyond the scope of the RTI Act.
The proceedings also included allegations that Gopal had demanded money from farmers after obtaining details about their land and assets through RTI applications. Revenue officials submitted statements from individuals who claimed to have paid him. These allegations were recorded during the hearings and formed part of the material considered by the Commission.
The Commission directed the Anantapur district collector to investigate whether Gopal had wrongly obtained a white ration card despite owning land, a house and a two-wheeler. The direction places the verification of his eligibility with the district administration rather than treating the allegation as established.
The Commission cited Supreme Court and High Court judgments while reiterating that public authorities are required to provide records that already exist. It said officials are not required to create new information or respond to speculative questions. The Commission warned that the RTI Act should not be used to harass individuals or pursue personal enrichment, while urging applicants to use the legislation responsibly.
The case highlights the administrative challenge of handling repeated or overlapping information requests while preserving the statutory right to access public records. The district collector’s inquiry into the ration-card eligibility issue is the next official step recorded in the proceedings.
