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TVK govt rolls back RTI order after political backlash
The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday revoked an order exempting the Public (Law and Order) department from the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, after it triggered a political slugfest and intense pushback from multiple fronts including its allies
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The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday revoked an order exempting the Public (Law and Order) department from the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, after it triggered a political slugfest and intense pushback from multiple fronts including its allies.
“Government Order 57 of the Human Resources Management (R) department dated September 21, 2026, relating to the exemption of the Public (Law and Order) Department under sub-section (4) of the section 24 of the RTI Act, 2005 stands revoked,” the government order said.
The earlier order, which came on September 21, drew sharp criticism from political parties, including TVK’s allies in the ruling Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (4) of section 24 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Central Act 22 of 2005), the governor of Tamil Nadu hereby specifies the Public (Law and Order) department being an Intelligence and Security Organisation established by the government of Tamil Nadu for which the said Act shall not apply,” the earlier order mentioned.
Before the order was revoked, minister for school education A Rajmohan responding to a query about the controversial order said, “There will be no harm to freedom of speech (due to the order). There is a Lakshman Rekha to freedom of speech and that we must also keep in mind.”
“A data should not be deliberately bent or twisted to suit someone or a political party’s interest. I reiterate that freedom of speech will not be affected in any way (Due to this order)”, he told reporters, before it was revoked later.
Later, minister for energy resources and law CTR Nirmal Kumar in a social media post said, the government of Tamil Nadu has withdrawn with respect the government order issued by the human resources management department.
The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a TVK ally, was among the first to seek the order’s withdrawal.
“The Tamil Nadu government’s public sector department announced in the gazette that ‘information can be sought’ (under the RTI). This announcement is highly shocking. It will pave the way for suppressing human rights,” VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan said in a statement on Sunday. “We strongly urge the government to immediately withdraw it,” he added.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram also flagged the initial decision, stating it set a “bad precedent” and maintaining that the RTI Act’s scope must be expanded rather than restricted. Congress is another ally of TVK.
The main opposition to TVK, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) also took strong exception to the controversial order with party deputy general secretary and MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi accusing the government of restricting the RTI Act.
“The TVK government, which came to power promising ‘transparency’, is now telling people not to ask questions within just four months,” she said in a social media post.
“It is shameful that an incompetent government, unable to restore law and order, is now trying to restrict the RTI so that people cannot even ask for information regarding law and order. Is this the change this government promised?” she asked.
The Tamil Nadu unit president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nainar Nagenthran said, “The Right to Information (RTI) Act was considered a fundamental freedom for citizens to know what is happening in a country. What TVK government did is condemnable. It clearly exposes their administrative incompetence.”
The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), an ally of the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance, said, “The sole objective of this government order is to conceal the government’s failures in maintaining law and order. Such an approach is wrong.”
”These data are essential tools for assessing how effectively law and order is being maintained in a state. Instead of prohibiting the disclosure of such information, the government should use this data to improve law and order,” PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said in a statement. “The Tamil Nadu government must immediately withdraw this order,” he added.
The Left parties which offer “outside support” to the Tamil Nadu government criticised the order, stating, “The core foundation of the RTI Act is to ensure transparency in government administration.”
“Such a government order that blunts the edge of the Right to Information Act - which serves as a powerful weapon in the hands of the common people - must be withdrawn immediately. The state executive committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly points out that this will only pave the way for authoritarian, regressive anti-democratic and human rights-denying tendencies,” CPI (M) state secretary P Shanmugam said.
