Concerns over limits on filing Right to Information (RTI) applications have intensified in Gujarat, as several cases highlight what activists describe as a growing pattern of restricting citizens’ access to government information.
Dissenting voices in the opposition and political observers have told Vibes of India that the restrictions are unjust and that Gujarat alone has a cap on RTI applications. The general sentiment is that the rejections reflect a broader trend of curbing public access to information and shielding government operations from scrutiny.
Despite claims of blatant misuse by RTI authorities, activists worry about the broader impact on transparency. Dr Manish Doshi, spokesperson of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, said, “The Morbi Health Authority’s withholding of RTI information is a very serious matter. This is not a simple administrative error, but a clear example of the Gujarat government’s systematic policy of avoiding transparency.”
He reminded that RTI was a constitutional right of the public, which no government can restrict. Withholding information related to health services, in particular, raises the suspicion of a cover-up of irregularities and errors.
RTI activist Mahesh Pandya asked, “From the Morbi bridge accident to several accidents in the health system, concealing facts and avoiding accountability have become the government’s hallmark. The question is, what is the government trying to hide from the public?”
He said that RTI information should be immediately made public, an independent investigation should be conducted, and responsibility should be allocated. “In a democracy, the government is accountable to the people. Congress will continue to strongly raise this issue inside and outside the House.”
Not Without Reason…
Meanwhile, associations linked to the RTI argue that such limits are necessary to prevent excessive or repetitive filings that strain administrative resources and hinder the functioning of government offices.
A national newspaper highlighted that on August 1, a Morbi resident saw his RTI request regarding the implementation of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram rejected by the Morbi district panchayat’s health branch.
The rejection cited a so-called limit of 12 RTI applications per year, referencing a March 12 directive from the Gujarat State Information Commission (GSIC).
The setback, the report added, compounded on October 8, when the application was voided because the concerned person had not provided an undertaking promising that he would not exceed 12 RTI applications in a year.
An Ahmedabad-based RTI activist told the newspaper that this is part of a larger trend. “Even though the commission says these orders are case-specific, many public information officers are misinterpreting them,” the activist said.
“They are now asking every applicant to file an undertaking on oath. This practice has been continuing for nearly one and a half years.”
The report also presented a counter-analysis: between 2016 and 2025, a Below-the-Poverty-Line cardholder had filed 448 RTI applications, many requesting information already publicly available online. The GSIC, under Chief Information Commissioner Subhash Soni, observed that the repeated filings consumed “disproportionate public resources.”
Subsequently, it was restricted to 12 applications annually, each covering a maximum of two subjects and five questions. The commission noted that the RTI Act was not meant to overwhelm the system and warned against misuse of the law to harass public servants.
Challenges exist but…
A more extensive example unfolded in Surat, where a family collectively filed 2,741 RTI applications and appeals between 2009 and 2025. It emerged that the applications repeatedly sought overlapping information from various departments, which led to administrative delays.
As these cases highlight, the system faces challenges. Yet, the restrictions have left citizens frustrated. There is a growing tension between the public’s right to know and administrative limits. For many, the RTI remains a vital tool for transparency, but its effectiveness is now clouded by uncertainty over access.
