'RTI Has Come To Be A Weapon For Intimidation, There Should Be Some Filters": Observes SC [Read Order]

The Supreme Court on Monday observed that the RTI Act has come to be a weapon of intimidation, "blackmail" no less. People who have no concern with a subject are filing RTIs to seek information!.The objective behind this law was to allow persons to draw out information that affects them. Hearing RTI Activist Anjali Bharadwaj's petition for the filling up of vacancies of Information Commissioners in the Central and state Information Commissions, the bench lamented that the transparency law is now being frequently invoked to promote specific, malafide interests, almost bringing the administration to a standstill as officials are fearful of taking any substantive decisions- "Nobody wishes to write something or take some stand because of this!" As to the issue of appointments to the Information Commissions and the transparency in the procedure of appointments, the CJ suggested that Mr. Bhushan may file a contempt plea if the court's February judgement in this regard is not being complied with- "We will issue notice if a Supreme Court judgment is not adhered to".