RTI Rejection Rate Falls to 3.26% in 2024-25, Says Govt

The rejection rate of Right to Information (RTI) applications in India has declined significantly, reaching 3.26 per cent in 2024-25 , down from 7.21 per cent in 2013-14 , the Union Minister of State for Personnel, Jitendra Singh , informed the Rajya Sabha .

The Minister, in a written reply, said that comprehensive data on RTI applications received, replied, and rejected , along with the reasons for rejection, is published in the annual reports of the Central Information Commission (CIC) . These reports, which cover public authorities under the central government , are accessible online at https://cic.gov.in/circular-reports-conventions .

Singh noted that the decline in rejection rates reflects ongoing assessment and review efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of the RTI Act framework . To strengthen transparency, the government has issued guidelines for conducting third-party transparency audits of proactive or suo-moto disclosures by public authorities. The CIC monitors the progress of these audits and actively pursues compliance with all authorities.

Regarding the appeals process, the Minister explained that an applicant who does not receive a reply within the prescribed time or is aggrieved by a decision of a Public Information Officer (PIO) can file a first appeal with the designated appellate authority. A second appeal can then be made to the CIC. Furthermore, applicants who feel that the information provided is incomplete, misleading, or false may directly raise a complaint with the CIC or the State Information Commission (SIC), depending on the case.

The Minister emphasised that these measures, including proactive audits, appeal mechanisms, and complaint redressal , are part of the government’s broader effort to ensure greater transparency and accountability under the RTI Act.

The data and measures highlight a steady improvement in information access for citizens, reinforcing the role of the RTI Act in promoting openness and good governance in the country.