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Tamil Nadu Reverses RTI Exemption for Law and Order Department After Public Outcry
M
Moneycontrol•27-09-2026, 15:49
Tamil Nadu Reverses RTI Exemption for Law and Order Department After Public Outcry
- •The Tamil Nadu government has revoked its decision to exempt the Public (Law and Order) Department from the Right to Information Act.
- •The initial order, issued under Section 24(4) of the RTI Act, 2005, had classified the department as an Intelligence and Security Organisation, limiting public access to information on law and order matters.
- •The Public (Law and Order) Department handles critical issues such as police firing inquiry reports, custodial deaths, and alleged police torture.
- •The reversal came after widespread criticism from opposition parties, including CPM MP Venkatesan and Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, who argued against the move's impact on transparency and accountability.
- •TVK Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar had previously defended the exemption, stating it was intended for specific categories like community clash incidents, but indicated a willingness to reconsider based on public discomfort.
Key Questions Answered
The Tamil Nadu government revoked the controversial RTI exemption following widespread criticism and strong opposition from various political parties.
The original order was issued under Section 24(4) of the RTI Act of 2005, which treated the Public (Law and Order) Department as an intelligence and security organisation.
The exemption would have blocked public access to inquiry reports on police firing, custodial deaths, alleged torture, communal clashes, and security-related detention cases.
