The RTI’s shift to a ‘right to deny information’

‘Despite the gravity of the amendments, there has been a notable lack of public and media outcry when compared to previous RTI changes’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto The Right to Information (RTI) Act is founded on the principle that in a democracy, which is defined as “rule of the people, by the people, for the people”, all information held by the government inherently belongs to the citizens. The government acts as a custodian of this information on behalf of the populace. Citizens legitimise their representatives by electing them, who in turn legitimise the bureaucracy. Therefore, the default mode under the RTI is that all information must be shared with citizens.However, the Act always included specific exemptions to protect certain interests, such as national sovereignty. One crucial exemption is the Act’s Section 8(1)(j), which is on “personal information”. Published - September 13, 2025 12:16 am IST