RTI portal of Haryana Govt is dysfunctional. If the RTI appeal is submitted on the portal, it does not generate an appeal registration number.

I have made two dozen attempts to submit the RTI appeal. In the following RTI application, no information has been provided by the public staff.

Whether this information is not available to the government functionaries of the state government of Haryana?

The government of India introduced the Right to Information Act 2005. It was created to promote transparency and accountability in the public authorities’ working. This aims to reduce growing corruption, which spreads like jungle fire.

Why is government of Haryana running away from providing information to the citizens under right to information act 2005? Everyone knows what is happening in the governments. People wonder why they are avoiding providing information under the transparency act.

In the grievances, they attach arbitrary and inconsistent reports. No one is objecting. The concerned people are so vulnerable that they cannot raise their voices against this anarchy.

Haryana’s RTI Portal: A Digital Roadblock to Transparency and Accountability

The Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2005 was a landmark legislation in India, designed to empower citizens by promoting transparency and accountability in government functioning. It aimed to curb corruption and ensure that public authorities work for the people. However, recent experiences with the Haryana Government’s RTI portal suggest a stark departure from these foundational principles, creating a digital roadblock for citizens seeking information.

The Dysfunctional Digital Gateway: A Cascade of Problems

The primary concern raised is the Haryana Government’s RTI portal being “dysfunctional.” This isn’t just a minor technical glitch; it represents a significant barrier to accessing a fundamental right.

1. Failure to Generate Appeal Registration Numbers

One of the most critical failures is the portal’s inability to generate an appeal registration number upon submission. This defect renders the entire online appeal process ineffective. Without a registration number, citizens lack:

• Proof of Submission: There’s no official record that an appeal has been successfully lodged.
• Tracking Mechanism: It becomes impossible to track the status or movement of an appeal.
• Accountability: Public Information Officers (PIOs) can easily deny receipt if there’s no system-generated identifier.

Making “two dozen attempts” to submit an appeal without success is not just frustrating; it’s a systemic failure that undermines public trust.

2. Unresponsive Public Authorities: Information Withheld

The core of the RTI Act is the provision of information. However, your experience highlights a worrying trend: “no information has been provided by the public staff” even after formal applications. This raises fundamental questions:

• Availability of Information: Is the information simply not available to government functionaries, or is there a deliberate attempt to withhold it?
• Adherence to the Act: Are the public authorities in Haryana complying with the spirit and letter of the RTI Act, which mandates timely disclosure of information?

The two application details provided (Application Code 001394/2025 and 001343/2025) both show a “Pending” status, with no movement or resolution, further exemplifying this lack of responsiveness.

The Spirit of RTI: Why It Matters

The Right to Information Act was born out of a necessity to combat corruption and foster a more open government. The Act explicitly states its objective: “to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.

When a government’s digital infrastructure for RTI is dysfunctional and its public functionaries are unresponsive, it directly undermines these objectives. It creates an environment where:

• Corruption Can Flourish: Lack of transparency provides fertile ground for malpractices to go unnoticed and unchecked.
• Citizen Disempowerment: Citizens are denied their legal right to information, leaving them feeling helpless and unheard.
• Erosion of Trust: The public’s faith in government institutions diminishes when they perceive a deliberate effort to avoid accountability.

The Broader Implications: Anarchy in Governance?

Your observation that “In the grievances, they attach arbitrary and inconsistent reports. No one is objecting. The concerned people are so vulnerable that they cannot raise their voices against this anarchy” paints a grim picture. This suggests a pattern where:

• Accountability is Lacking: Officials are not held responsible for providing accurate or complete information.
• Vulnerability of Citizens: Ordinary citizens, often lacking the resources or influence, find it incredibly difficult to challenge such systemic failures.

This leads to a perception that the government is “running away from providing information,” directly contradicting the very purpose of the RTI Act.

A Call for Urgent Reform

The current state of affairs on the Haryana RTI portal and the lack of response from public authorities demand immediate attention. For the Haryana government to uphold its commitment to transparency and democracy, it must:

1. Rectify the Portal’s Dysfunctions: Ensure the RTI appeal portal is fully operational, reliably generates registration numbers, and allows for proper tracking of applications.
2. Enforce Adherence to RTI Act: Mandate strict compliance with the RTI Act by all public information officers, ensuring timely and accurate provision of information.
3. Strengthen Accountability Mechanisms: Establish clear lines of accountability for officials who fail to provide information or provide arbitrary reports.
4. Protect Citizen’s Rights: Create a more accessible and effective system for citizens to exercise their right to information without undue hurdles.

A functional RTI system is not just a legal formality; it’s a vital democratic tool. When this tool is blunted, the very foundation of good governance is weakened. The citizens of Haryana deserve better than a digital runaround when seeking transparency from their government.

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