Patna High Court Seeks Update on 28,000 Pending RTI Appeals in Bihar
The Patna High Court has directed the Bihar state government to submit a status report regarding the filling of vacant positions in the Bihar Information Commission (BIC), highlighting a severe backlog of over 28,000 pending Right to Information (RTI) appeals. During the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Praween Kumar, the Division Bench noted that 28,291 second appeals were pending as of December 2024, significantly exceeding the statutory disposal timelines of 45 days for first appeals and 90 days for second appeals. The court referenced a parallel Supreme Court directive urging Bihar to consider increasing the sanctioned strength of commissioners to address the crisis. Currently, only four posts are sanctioned, with one vacancy. The PIL seeks strict enforcement of disposal deadlines, mandatory penalties for Public Information Officers who delay responses beyond 100 days, and compensation for citizens suffering from these delays. Activists argue that such delays violate constitutional rights to freedom of speech and personal liberty. The case is scheduled for further hearing on June 18, 2026, aiming to ensure time-bound justice and accountability in public information dissemination.
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Patna High Court Seeks Update on 28,000 Pending RTI Appeals in Bihar
The Patna High Court has directed the Bihar state government to submit a status report regarding the filling of vacant positions in the Bihar Information Commission (BIC), highlighting a severe backlog of over 28,000 pending Right to Information (RTI) appeals. During the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Praween Kumar, the Division Bench noted that 28,291 second appeals were pending as of December 2024, significantly exceeding the statutory disposal timelines of 45 days for first appeals and 90 days for second appeals. The court referenced a parallel Supreme Court directive urging Bihar to consider increasing the sanctioned strength of commissioners to address the crisis. Currently, only four posts are sanctioned, with one vacancy. The PIL seeks strict enforcement of disposal deadlines, mandatory penalties for Public Information Officers who delay responses beyond 100 days, and compensation for citizens suffering from these delays. Activists argue that such delays violate constitutional rights to freedom of speech and personal liberty. The case is scheduled for further hearing on June 18, 2026, aiming to ensure time-bound justice and accountability in public information dissemination.
The Indian Express