Kindly click here and here to access the key findings of the Report Card on the Performance of Information Commissions in India 2021-22 (released in October, 2022) that has been prepared by Satark Nagrik Sangathan. 

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Please click here to access the key findings of the Report Card on the Performance of Information Commissions in India, 2021 (released in October, 2021), which has been prepared by Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS). The report is primarily based on an analysis of information accessed under the RTI Act, from 29 information commissions across India. A total of 156 RTI applications were filed with state information commissions (SIC) and the Central Information Commission (CIC). 

Sixteen years after the RTI Act was implemented, experience in India, also captured in various national assessments, suggests that the functioning of information commissions is a major bottleneck in the effective implementation of the RTI law. Large backlog of appeals and complaints in many commissions across the country have resulted in inordinate delays in disposal of cases, which render the law ineffective. One of the primary reasons for the backlogs is the failure of central and state governments to take timely action to appoint information commissions to the Central Information Commission and state information commissions, respectively. Performance of information commissions, in terms of exercising their powers to ensure proper implementation of the law, has been a cause of great concern to the RTI community. Commissions have been found to be extremely reluctant to impose penalties on erring officials for violations of the law. Unfortunately, the transparency watchdogs themselves have not had a shining track record in terms of being transparent and accountable to the people of the country. 

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Kindly click here to access the Report Card of Information Commissions in India 2019-20 (published in October, 2020), which was jointly published by Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS) and Centre for Equity Studies (CES). The report is primarily based on an analysis of information accessed under the RTI Act, from 29 information commissions6 across India. A total of 159 RTI applications were filed with state information commissions (SIC) and the Central Information Commission (CIC).