KADAPA: In a striking illustration of systemic administrative inertia under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, a research scholar in YSR Kadapa district has begun receiving official responses to his RTI queries filed in 2015, nearly a decade later in 2026—long after he completed his academic thesis, submitted his research findings, and earned his doctorate.
Tummuluru Suresh Babu, who currently serves as an Assistant Professor (Contract) in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Yogi Vemana University, submitted formal applications under Section 6(1) of the RTI Act in 2015 across 46 public offices in the district.
The filings were an integral part of his doctoral dissertation titled “Implementation of Right to Information Act-2005: A Study in YSR Kadapa District,” conducted between 2012 and 2016.
The queries sought performance data, operational metrics, and compliance records from vital administrative bodies, including the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), APSRTC, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), STEP, Forest Department, Panchayat Raj, District Education Office (DEO), Employment Exchange, and the BC Welfare Department.
While a few offices responded within the statutory 30-day window back then, several key departments ignored both initial applications, and subsequent first appeals.
Unable to wait indefinitely for public officials to comply, Suresh Babu completed his study using available data, and was officially awarded PhD degree on September 5, 2017.
Delayed replies raise accountability concerns
To his utter astonishment, official mail packages containing long-overdue responses from various government departments have unexpectedly begun arriving via Speed Post and registered post at his residential address in recent weeks.
The sudden flood of decade-old information has exposed severe lapses in public record management, and raised critical questions about compliance with statutory timelines, as the RTI Act was specifically enacted to enforce transparency, promptness, and public accountability in governance.
Academic experts and RTI activists note that such extreme delays defeat the fundamental purpose of the legislation, which relies on time-bound disclosure to hold public servants accountable to the citizenry.
Addressing the extraordinary delay, District Revenue Officer and District RTI Nodal Officer Mallikarjunudu stated that the district administration would formally look into the matter if the applicant provides comprehensive details regarding the specific departments involved.
He assured that the issue would be brought to the attention of the AO to review departmental files, verify historical records and ascertain the reasons behind the backlog.
PhD awarded in 2017
T Suresh Babu was awarded PhD on September 5, 2017 for his thesis on “Implementation of Right to Information Act-2005: A Study in YSR Kadapa District”
