As the Right to Information (RTI) Act approaches its 20th anniversary on October 12, 2025, a new report highlights the immense challenges faced by information commissions across India. A staggering number of cases, exceeding 4 lakh, remain pending before these commissions as of June 30, 2025. This backlog, coupled with vacancies and operational challenges, raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the RTI Act and the state of transparency in the country.
The "Report Card on the Performance of Information Commissions in India, 2024-25," released by the civil society organization Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS), reveals critical insights into the functioning of the Central Information Commission (CIC) and the 28 State Information Commissions (SICs). The report, based on information accessed under the RTI Act, paints a concerning picture of rising pendency, defunct commissions, and a lack of enforcement.
The report highlights that as of June 30, 2025, a total of 4.13 lakh appeals and complaints were pending across the 29 information commissions. Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have the highest pendency with 95,340, 47,825, and 41,059 pending cases respectively. The pendency has been steadily increasing over the years, from 2.18 lakh in March 2019 to 4.13 lakh in June 2025.
Adding to the crisis, six out of the 29 information commissions were defunct for varying periods between July 1, 2024, and October 7, 2025. As of October 7, 2025, the SICs of Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh remain non-operational. Furthermore, the CIC is currently without a chief, and the state ICs of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh also lack a chief. This is the seventh time in the last 11 years that the CIC is functioning without a chief. The absence of key officials exacerbates the existing challenges and contributes to the growing backlog of cases.
The report estimates the time it would take for an appeal or complaint to be disposed of, revealing significant delays in several states. The Telangana SIC is estimated to take 29 years and 2 months to dispose of a matter filed on July 1, 2025, meaning it would be resolved in 2054. The SIC of Tripura is estimated to take 23 years, and Chhattisgarh would take 11 years. The SICs of Madhya Pradesh and Punjab are projected to take 7 years. Overall, the assessment indicates that 18 commissions would take more than a year to dispose of an appeal or complaint filed on July 1, 2025.
Between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, 2.41 lakh appeals and complaints were registered by 27 ICs, while 1.82 lakh cases were disposed of by these commissions. Maharashtra registered the highest number of appeals and complaints (54,869), followed by Tamil Nadu (27,748) and Karnataka (27,490).
A concerning trend highlighted in the report is the increasing number of cases being returned by the CIC and SICs without any orders. During the covered time frame, 51,148 appeals and complaints were returned without resolution. Maharashtra topped this list with 23,509 cases, followed by CIC (11,993), Bihar (8,729), and Karnataka (4,886).
The report also points out the reluctance of ICs to impose penalties on Information Officers who deny information incorrectly. Between July 2024 and June 2025, only 1,252 cases resulted in penalties, amounting to Rs 2.32 crore. The RTI Act allows ICs to impose penalties up to Rs 25,000 per violation.
According to the report, 69% of the transparency panels, responsible for implementing the RTI Act, have failed to fulfill the mandatory obligation under the law. Section 25 of the RTI Act mandates each commission to prepare an annual report on the implementation of the Act, to be presented before Parliament or the state legislature. However, 20 out of 29 ICs have not published their annual reports for 2023-24.
These findings highlight the urgent need for reforms to strengthen the RTI framework and ensure its effective implementation. Addressing the vacancies in information commissions, streamlining the disposal process, and enforcing penalties for violations are crucial steps to improve transparency and accountability in the country.
