📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / N. Vivekananthamoorthy
Politics
Tamil Nadu reverses law‑and‑order RTI exemption after public outcry
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 28 Sep 2026, 08:16 AM
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The state government withdrew its decision to exclude law‑and‑order matters from the Right to Information Act following widespread criticism.
Earlier this week the Tamil Nadu government issued a notification that law‑and‑order subjects would be exempted from the Right to Information Act, a move that sparked immediate backlash from activists, journalists and opposition parties. The exemption would have barred citizens from seeking information on police operations, crime statistics and related administrative actions, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
Critics argued that the decision contravened the spirit of the RTI law, which aims to empower the public to scrutinise government functioning. Several civil‑society groups organized protests in Chennai and other cities, demanding the reversal of the exemption and urging the administration to uphold the public's right to know.
Responding to the mounting pressure, the chief minister's office announced that the exemption order had been withdrawn and that all law‑and‑order matters would remain subject to RTI provisions. A senior official said the government had reconsidered the policy to avoid eroding public trust.
The reversal has been welcomed by transparency advocates, who view it as a reaffirmation of Tamil Nadu's commitment to open governance. The episode highlights the sensitivity surrounding information access in matters of public safety and the influence of civic activism on policy decisions.
Critics argued that the decision contravened the spirit of the RTI law, which aims to empower the public to scrutinise government functioning. Several civil‑society groups organized protests in Chennai and other cities, demanding the reversal of the exemption and urging the administration to uphold the public's right to know.
Responding to the mounting pressure, the chief minister's office announced that the exemption order had been withdrawn and that all law‑and‑order matters would remain subject to RTI provisions. A senior official said the government had reconsidered the policy to avoid eroding public trust.
The reversal has been welcomed by transparency advocates, who view it as a reaffirmation of Tamil Nadu's commitment to open governance. The episode highlights the sensitivity surrounding information access in matters of public safety and the influence of civic activism on policy decisions.