Tamil Nadu revokes RTI exemption for Law and Order Department, upholding transparency in governance

Livemint - Politics · 29 Sept 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance

The Tamil Nadu government withdrew a controversial order exempting its Public (Law and Order) Department from RTI Act provisions after political backlash, reinforcing the importance of transparency in governance.

Key points

Section 24(4) of RTI Act was invoked by Tamil Nadu to classify the Public (Law and Order) Department as an 'Intelligence and Security Organisation', shielding it from RTI disclosures.

The exemption would have blocked access to records on police torture, custodial deaths, communal clashes, and security-related detentions, undermining accountability.

Political allies Congress and VCK, along with opposition leaders like DMK's Kanimozhi and AMMK's Dhinakaran, strongly criticized the move as anti-transparency.

[GS2-Governance] This connects to GS2's transparency and accountability themes, highlighting how RTI is a critical tool for democratic governance.

The government initially defended the exemption, claiming it was limited to community clash-related incidents, but public and political pressure forced a reversal.

[GS4-Ethics] The episode raises ethical questions about balancing state security needs with citizens' right to information and government accountability.

The swift revocation demonstrates the RTI Act's robustness as a check on executive overreach, reinforcing its constitutional significance.

Way Forward: Strengthen RTI implementation by ensuring timely responses, penalizing non-compliance, and conducting regular audits of exempted departments to prevent misuse of Section 24(4).

Key terms

Right to Information Act, 2005

A transparency law empowering Indian citizens to access government records, promoting accountability. Under Section 24(4), certain intelligence and security organizations can be exempted, but such exemptions must be narrowly construed to prevent misuse.

Section 24(4) of RTI Act

Allows exemption of intelligence and security organizations from RTI disclosures. UPSC relevance lies in its frequent judicial interpretation regarding balance between national security and transparency.

Public (Law and Order) Department

State department handling policing and public security. Its inclusion under RTI is crucial for police accountability, especially regarding custodial deaths and human rights violations.

Intelligence and Security Organisation

Entities exempted from RTI under Section 24(4). UPSC must note the judicial principle that such exemptions should be strictly interpreted to prevent undermining the RTI Act's purpose.