The State Information Commission has sought an explanation from the Kochi Corporation secretary over the local body’s decision to collect details of people filing a large number of Right to Information applications and seek vigilance probes into their financial status.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the corporation council held last week. Corporation officials described the proposed action as an attempt to prevent what they termed the misuse of RTI applications. The Information Commission, however, has said the move is against provisions of the RTI Act.
The dispute places Kochi Corporation’s handling of information requests under scrutiny at a time when the RTI framework is intended to allow citizens to seek records relating to public administration and governance. The commission’s request for an explanation is the immediate official development in the matter. The report did not state the deadline given to the corporation secretary or the next date of the commission’s proceedings.
Mayor V K Minimol and United Democratic Front councillors in the corporation have alleged that some RTI activists file applications to collect information and later misuse those details to seek bribes. The allegations were cited by the corporation’s political leadership in support of the decision to examine frequent applicants and seek vigilance inquiries into their financial status.
Left Democratic Front councillors opposed the move. Elizabeth Idikkula and other LDF members said the UDF council’s decision would undermine the spirit of the RTI Act. They argued that the legislation enables the disclosure of information about governance and other aspects of public administration and is central to democratic functioning.
The disagreement therefore involves two competing positions within Kochi’s civic administration. The corporation leadership has framed repeated RTI applications as a possible misuse of the law, while its opponents have warned that examining applicants’ personal financial details could discourage citizens from seeking information from the local body.
The State Information Commission’s intervention shifts the issue from an internal corporation decision to a formal examination of whether the proposed action is consistent with the RTI Act. The commission has asked the corporation secretary to explain the basis for the move. Further action will depend on the explanation submitted by the local body and the commission’s subsequent proceedings.
