Ahid says no evidence of increasing abuse of RTI Act

Ahid Rasheed said on Tuesday that there is no evidence to suggest widespread misuse of the Right to Information Act, responding to recent comments by Attorney General Ahmed Usham.

During a press conference held at the President's Office, Usham was asked why several government institutions, including the President’s Office, had failed to provide information required under the law.

In response, Usham said the RTI Act was introduced with a specific purpose and stated that information should be provided to individuals using the law appropriately. However, he also claimed that some people were exploiting the legislation.

“It is important to provide information to those who utilise the RTI Act in good faith. However, we are increasingly observing instances, particularly recently, where the RTI Act is being abused,” Usham said.

Responding to the remarks, Ahid said there was no indication that misuse of the RTI Act was becoming widespread.

“There may be rare instances of requests submitted with the intent to harass, but this is certainly not a growing trend,” Ahid said.

He stated that a more common issue is the failure of state institutions to respond to information requests or provide information within the framework of the law.

Earlier, Home Minister Ali Ihusan also commented on the issue, suggesting that some individuals submit requests to create “nuisance” for authorities.

Ihusan said the process of preparing and releasing information carries administrative costs and suggested that a fee-based system for information requests could be considered.