'RTI is a Fundamental Right': Calcutta High Court Orders Expeditious Disposal of Queries

Enforcing Timely Transparency

In a strict directive to government departments, the Calcutta High Court has ordered the expeditious disposal of a pending Right to Information (RTI) query. The bench expressed extreme dissatisfaction with bureaucratic delays that defeat the purpose of the transparency law.

The Court unequivocally stated, 'Right to Information is a fundamental right,' linking it directly to the freedom of speech and expression. It directed the concerned Public Information Officer (PIO) to stop utilizing procedural loopholes to deny citizens their lawful access to administrative records.