Tamil Nadu Reverses Controversial RTI Exemption Amid Public Backlash
Tamil Nadu Reverses Controversial RTI Exemption Amid Public Backlash
After widespread criticism, the Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn its controversial order exempting key departments from the RTI Act. A significant win for public transparency and accountability!
The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has reversed a contentious decision to exempt its Public (Law and Order) Department from the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. The withdrawal, announced on Sunday, September 27, 2026, comes after significant backlash from political parties, civil society organizations, and activists across the state.
The original order, issued on September 21, 2026, by the Human Resources Management Department, sought to exclude a wide array of sensitive subjects from public scrutiny under the guise of the department being an "Intelligence and Security Organisation." This would have prevented citizens from accessing crucial information on matters such as communal and caste clashes, inquiry reports into police firing and custody deaths, police torture, detentions under COFEPOSA and NSA, and government responses to agitations by students, farmers, and political parties.
Minister for Energy Resources and Law, C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, confirmed the withdrawal of the Government Order (G.O.) via a post on X. Earlier in the day, while speaking in Madurai, he had defended the G.O., citing the sensitivity of the information it covered.
However, the strong public outcry proved decisive.
Prominent figures, including AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran, had sharply criticized the TVK-led government, accusing it of backtracking on its promise of transparency. Dhinakaran called for an explanation from CM C.
Joseph Vijay and demanded the immediate revocation of the decision. Environmental activist G. Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal and Arappor Iyakkam convener Jayaram Venkatesan also condemned the order, highlighting its deeply concerning implications for public accountability.
This is not the first time the Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn a controversial order following public pressure.
The move to exempt the Public (Law and Order) Department from RTI had drawn parallels to a previous instance where the government rescinded a controversial circular on collegiate education after opposition from Left parties and civil society groups.
The swift withdrawal of this latest RTI exemption is being hailed as a victory for transparency and the public's right to information.
