Don't reveal identity of RTI activists: Govt to depts

In order to protect an information seeker from any adverse consequences, the government has decided to do away with a mandatory requirement of filing a query under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with full address of the applicant.

As a result, if an RTI plea is now filed with a post box number, the authorities cannot deny providing the information.

Besides, the Centre also directed the authorities not to disclose personal details of the RTI applicants, while displaying the information, on the website with a purpose to avoid any future harassment.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the nodal department under the transparency law, issued a memorandum on Wednesday, directing all authorities not to insist on information seekers to provide their full address for getting answers under the transparency law.

The order–sent to different departments and authorities including chief secretary of all states on Wednesday–said the applicants could get information even after giving post box number.

This was in compliance with a direction issued by the Calcutta High Court on a PIL filed by Avishek Goenka in November 2013.