Whistleblowers, RTI activists will get protection with one week

Whistleblowers and Right to Information (RTI) activists facing threat or danger to life will receive police protection within a week, according to a new policy of the State Home department.

Ironically, the policy was notified just two weeks before journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by unidentified assailants.

Notified on August 19, the policy is in line with the RTI Act, 2005 and the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2011.

A whistleblower or RTI activist who perceives threat or danger to life has to submit an application seeking protection to the Additional Superintendent of Police or the Deputy Superintendent of Police (headquarters). The police will conduct a threat analysis. The quantum, type and duration of security will be decided based upon the assessment of the threat perception, and this process should not exceed a week, according to the notification issued by the Home department’s Deputy Secretary (law and order) K Chiranjivi.

Review panels

A district-level committee headed by the deputy commissioner will review cases every three months and also check if the policy is being implemented efficiently. A State-level committee chaired by the Home secretary will meet once in six months to review decisions taken by the district-level committees.

The policy, however, makes it clear that security will not be provided to whistleblowers and RTI activists “who are involved in criminal cases or involved in activities which are political/communal/anti-national in nature.”