Maharashtra's New RTI Rules 2026 Draw Widespread Criticism Over Fee Hikes and Citizenship Requirements

Maharashtra's newly notified Right to Information (RTI) Rules, 2026, have sparked significant controversy among transparency activists and former government officials, who contend that the changes substantially restrict citizens' access to public information. The state government issued the rules through a gazette notification from the general administration department, replacing fee structures that had remained unchanged for years.

The revised rules introduce sweeping financial changes that critics argue will discourage citizens from exercising their statutory rights. The application fee has been raised from ₹10 to ₹30—a 200 percent increase—while charges for photocopies, digital copies, and scanned documents have increased from ₹2 to ₹5 per page, a 150 percent increase. First and second appeal fees have risen from ₹20 each to ₹50 and ₹100 respectively. Additionally, the rules now require applicants to disclose the purpose for seeking information, provide proof of Indian citizenship, limit applications to a single subject per request, and keep applications to approximately 150 words. Citizens must also demonstrate significant public interest when requesting personal information, with mere assertions deemed insufficient under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar described the changes as devastating to transparency, stating that the rules "completely finish off the RTI, which was already on its deathbed." Jeetendra Ghadge, founder of The Young Whistleblowers Foundation, criticized the government for making access more expensive rather than addressing the substantial backlog of pending appeals. Former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi expressed concern that several provisions dilute the spirit of the RTI Act, 2005, particularly the citizenship proof requirement and higher appeal fees.

The timing of these rule changes has drawn particular scrutiny given that Maharashtra's State Information Commission faced approximately 3,722 pending second appeals in its Greater Mumbai bench alone as of December 2025, with activists estimating nearly 100,000 pending second appeals and complaints statewide. Activists also note that penalties for errant Public Information Officers (PIOs) have been rare in recent years, fostering what they characterize as a culture of impunity. The rules also state that information already available on government websites will not be provided in duly attested form, limiting its usability for official purposes.

Transparency advocates argue that the cumulative effect of these restrictions—higher costs, mandatory disclosures, citizenship proof, and subject limitations—contradicts the core intent of the RTI Act, which was designed to ensure citizens could seek information without explaining their motives. Critics contend that charging for scanned documents is particularly unjustifiable given negligible digital distribution costs. The rules also introduce stricter accountability measures for public authorities, stating that failure to proactively disclose information may be treated as dereliction of duty with responsibility assigned to office heads.