BENGALURU: At a time when citizens are keen to get more information from the state government on its handling of COVID-19, a key information source, the Right to Information (RTI) website, is not functioning.
The website, RTIonline.karnataka.gov.in, is down since the last week of June, and activists are at a loss. “On the website, we can file RTI applications, check their status and file first appeals. It is best to have online platforms in these COVID times to prevent physical contact,” said Ajay Merchant, an RTI activist.
The website was functioning in mid-June, but the payment gateway was not, rendering it useless. “This amounts to lack of transparency and accountability and will give room for unchecked corruption. These are indirect, backdoor strategies to obstruct RTI in Karnataka. How can people from other districts, towns and villages come to Bengaluru to file RTIs physically,” Merchant asked. Citizens and RTI activists mostly do not receive acknowledgments of applications.
Umapathy S, an advocate and RTI activist, said that the website has not been working properly since its launch, unlike the central government website that works smoothly. “The website has not been planned well. This is to avoid information and transparency, as RTI applications would force them to give details,” she said.
“Only 10 percent of the departments were available. For instance, BBMP, BDA and KIADB are not accessible,” he added.
A source in the Karnataka Information Commission said, “We have informed the e-governance department about the technical issues. We don’t know whether they are doing it intentionally. They are aware of the issue but are not rectifying it. It is a bureaucratic mindset.”