AWA06-awara-hoon1RA HOONAs information commissioner, I have dealt with over 20,000 cases, during which I had the opportunity to interact with a large number of RTI (The Right to Information Act) users and public information officers (PIOs). Generally, PIOs refer to most applicants who file RTI applications regularly as “blackmailers”, “harassers” and those who were misusing the RTI Act.
I will broadly divide those who file a large number of RTI applications in the following categories: One, those who file RTI applications with the hope of exposing corruption or arbitrariness in governance; two, those who file RTI applications repeatedly to correct a wrong they think has been done to them; three, those who use the RTI to blackmail people. This category largely targets illegal buildings, mining or some other activity which runs foul of the law; and four, those who use the Act to harass a public official to get some undue favour.
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