Raipur:
Allegations of systematic corruption have surfaced within the Chhattisgarh Forest Department, where officials are reportedly misusing confidentiality provisions and Right to Information (RTI) clauses to conceal financial irregularities. According to activists, wages are being transferred to the bank accounts of favored individuals who are listed as laborers on paper but perform no actual work. Once the money is credited, it is allegedly withdrawn in cash and handed back to officials.
When RTI activists sought details of these payments—specifically the names of the recipients and the bank account numbers involved—the Public Information Officers (PIOs) declined to provide the information, citing Sections 8(1)(j) and 11 of the RTI Act. These sections relate to personal information and third-party confidentiality, but activists argue that they are being misused to shield corruption involving public funds.
RTI Act Being Twisted to Shield Corruption
Under the RTI Act, Section 8(1)(j) exempts disclosure of personal information unless it serves a larger public interest. Section 11 deals with third-party consultations before releasing such information. However, in cases involving the misuse of public money, legal experts maintain that transparency must take precedence.
Despite this, officials are using these clauses indiscriminately to deny access to critical information. This misuse, according to activists, is not only obstructing transparency but is also allowing fraudulent practices to flourish under the guise of legality.
State Information Commission Under Fire
What’s more alarming, activists say, is the State Information Commission’s passive or complicit stance. Instead of safeguarding the transparency mandate of the RTI Act, the Commission is allegedly siding with PIOs and dismissing appeals without proper hearings. Activists claim that many decisions are being passed arbitrarily, denying applicants the very information the Act was designed to provide.
“RTI Law Being Undermined”
Frustrated by repeated rejections and the Commission’s inaction, a panel of RTI activists has decided to escalate the matter to the Chhattisgarh High Court. They are compiling a series of cases where both first-level appeals and second appeals at the State Information Commission were rejected on weak or legally flawed grounds.
“The RTI Act was created to ensure transparency in governance,” said one activist. “If the very institutions meant to uphold it become roadblocks, then democratic accountability is at risk.”
Experts Warn of Long-Term Consequences
Legal experts and transparency advocates warn that if this pattern of denial continues, the purpose of the RTI Act could be severely undermined. “Shielding information related to public expenditure is tantamount to encouraging corruption,” said one expert. “And if the Information Commission itself refuses to act, it sets a dangerous precedent.”
The revelations regarding wage payment fraud in the Forest Department and the alleged misuse of the RTI framework have shaken confidence in the system. All eyes are now on the High Court, which may be the last resort for restoring transparency and justice in this case.