Activist Anna Hazare has threatened to launch an indefinite hunger strike from July 5 at Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahilyanagar district if the Maharashtra government does not immediately withdraw the “illegal” amendments made to the Right to Information Rules.
In a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Hazare said the Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2026, would “blunt the edge” of the RTI Act and keep citizens away from information. He claimed the amendments made on June 12 violate the spirit of the RTI Act, 2005, and undermine transparency.
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Hazare objected to the hike in fees, saying no rational explanation or financial analysis was provided.
“RTI is not a revenue-generating law. If fees are raised after 20 years, penalties on officers who deny information should also be increased,” he wrote.
He opposed making ID proof mandatory, arguing that Section 6(2) of the RTI Act does not require applicants to disclose personal details or reasons for seeking information. Such a condition endangers whistleblowers and activists, he added.
The anti-corruption activist also criticised the “one subject, one application” rule, calling it unnecessary and burdensome, and said the provision to summarily close repeat applications would block access to complete or updated information.
Other objections included asking applicants for the purpose of seeking information, dismissal of appeals if the applicant remains absent, automatic closure of cases on an applicant’s death, and barring legal assistance during hearings before the Information Commission.
Hazare said the rules shift the burden onto citizens instead of fixing systemic failures. He noted that Section 4 of the RTI Act, which mandates proactive disclosure by public authorities, remains poorly implemented, forcing citizens to file applications.
“Making the process more technical, costly and administration-centric will reduce transparency,” he said, adding that the amendments were brought without public consultation.
Hazare, who led several agitations for RTI in Maharashtra since 1998 and undertook fasts in Mumbai, Ralegan Siddhi and Alandi, said he would not back down.
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“If the June 12 amendments are not revoked immediately, I will begin my fast on July 5 at Yadav Baba Temple, Ralegan Siddhi, even if it costs my life,” the letter stated.
He urged the state to withdraw the rules and strengthen proactive disclosure instead of imposing new restrictions on applicants.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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