Panchkula: In a major initiative aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in Haryana, the Haryana State Information Commission will launch a massive statewide capacity-building programme for nearly 25,000 State Public Information Officers (SPIOs) and First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), including approximately 6,300 Sarpanches functioning as SPIOs at the village level, commencing from Wednesday.
The year-long programme forms the centrepiece of a comprehensive package of administrative, technological and institutional reforms being undertaken by the Commission to make the RTI mechanism faster, more transparent, accessible and citizen-centric. Announcing the initiatives at a curtain raiser event held at Commissionās office, Chief Information Commissioner TVSN Prasad said the Commission was undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of its functioning so that the RTI mechanism becomes more responsive to citizens and cases are disposed of with greater speed, efficiency and consistency.
Mega training programme for 25,000 SPIOs and FAAs
The Commission is embarking upon one of the most comprehensive RTI capacity-building programmes undertaken in the State, with the objective of training nearly 25,000 SPIOs and FAAs over approximately one year. Significantly, the programme will also cover around 6,300 Sarpanches, who function as SPIOs at the village level. The programme will commence on August 12, 2026, and will combine online and offline modes of training to bring virtually the entire SPIO and FAA machinery of Haryana within a structured capacity-building framework.
The Chief Information Commissioner said the objective of the programme was not merely to acquaint officers with the technical provisions of the RTI Act, but to develop a deeper understanding of the spirit, purpose and citizen-centric philosophy of the legislation.
āThe real objective of the RTI Act is to facilitate the flow of information to citizens. A culture of information-sharing has to replace a culture of information-denial. Our effort is to ensure that SPIOs understand not merely what information can be denied, but, more importantly, what information can and should be provided,ā said Sh. T.V.S.N. Prasad.
Strengthening the First Appellate Authority
The Commission has identified the functioning of the First Appellate Authority as a crucial area requiring focused attention. The training programme will specifically seek to strengthen the first appellate mechanism so that grievances are effectively addressed at the departmental level itself, thereby reducing avoidable litigation and pendency before the State Information Commission.
The Commission has observed that, in a number of cases, First Appellate Authorities have not been exercising their statutory powers to the extent envisaged under the RTI Act. The training will therefore focus on the role, responsibilities and adjudicatory functions of FAAs, including the need to pass appropriate and reasoned orders in accordance with the statutory framework.
Similarly, SPIOs will be trained in preparing reasoned, legally sustainable and citizen-oriented responses, rather than relying upon routine or standardised replies. The Commission believes that a stronger first appellate mechanism and better-quality responses by SPIOs will reduce unnecessary litigation and substantially improve the overall efficiency of the RTI framework.
Training in collaboration with ASCI and HIPA
For the programme, the Commission has collaborated with the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad, and the Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA). The Commission will also seek expert assistance from renowned law schools. Experts and experienced resource persons will conduct training sessions covering the practical and legal nuances of the RTI Act. The programme will employ both online and offline modes and is envisaged as one of the most comprehensive RTI training programmes of its kind, with the objective of creating a more informed, responsive and accountable information-disclosure machinery across the State.
100% hybrid hearings to accelerate disposal of RTI cases
Another major reform will be the adoption of 100 per cent hybrid mode of hearing of RTI cases. The facility will enable appellants and respondents to participate in hearings without necessarily having to travel to the Commission’s office.
āThis will be a major relief for litigants, particularly citizens who otherwise have to travel long distances merely to participate in a hearing. At the same time, it will enable the Commission to utilise its time and resources more efficiently and facilitate expeditious disposal of cases,ā said Sh. T.V.S.N. Prasad.
The Commission has also initiated measures to ensure that all records required for effective adjudication are made available by the SPIOs while attending hearings online from their respective offices. This is expected to substantially reduce avoidable delays and unnecessary adjournments.
Central Registration Unit on the pattern of the High Courts
As part of the institutional restructuring, the Commission has introduced a Central Registration Unit (CRU) on the pattern of the registration system followed by the High Courts.
Under the new system, cases will undergo structured registration and scrutiny, followed by marking at the Registrar level. The initiative is intended to bring greater uniformity and efficiency in the registration, listing and allocation of cases.
The Commission has also moved away from the earlier practice of generally distributing departments among individual Information Commissioners. Under the revised system, Information Commissioners will handle multiple departments, facilitating a more balanced and efficient distribution of cases.
Second appeals and complaints to go online
Taking another major step towards digital accessibility, the Commission will soon introduce e-filing of second appeals and complaints through its web portal.
At present, the online facility is available for RTI applications and First Appeals. The proposed system will extend this digital facility to the next stage of the RTI adjudicatory process, enabling citizens to approach the Commission electronically without the need for physical filing.
āLive Linkā for priority hearing
Another citizen-centric feature proposed on the Commission’s web portal is a āLive Linkā through which litigants will be able to indicate their requirement for a priority hearing by selecting an available date and time.
The facility is intended to provide urgent consideration in appropriate cases while bringing the process of seeking priority hearing within a structured and transparent digital framework.
Improvement in procedure adopted while hearing appeals
The Commission has also streamlined its hearing procedure. Cause lists for every Bench are uploaded on the Commission’s website, and appeals are being heard in a structured, stage-wise manner. The process envisages an initial hearing, including urgent mentions wherever required, followed by notice to respondents for written and oral submissions, as appropriate, and thereafter arguments, final hearing and decision. All decisions are uploaded on the Commission’s website, thereby facilitating public access to the Commission’s adjudicatory work.
Commission moves towards paperless functioning
The Commission has also taken a decisive step towards paperless functioning. As part of the initiative, the entire record of the Commission is being digitised. The move will facilitate electronic access to case records, improve record management and significantly reduce the possibility of files or documents being misplaced. The system is being developed on the lines of paperless practices increasingly being adopted by the Honāble High Courts and other judicial institutions.
Quarterly journal and āImportant Cases Bulletinā
In another initiative aimed at improving transparency and disseminating the Commission’s jurisprudence, the Commission proposes to introduce a quarterly journal along with an āImportant Cases Bulletinā on its web portal. The portal will provide access to important decisions passed by the Commission, enabling citizens, public authorities, SPIOs, FAAs, legal practitioners and other stakeholders to understand the evolving interpretation and application of the RTI Act in Haryana. The initiative will also promote consistency and awareness among public authorities by making significant decisions readily accessible.
āReforming the system, not merely processing casesā
Sh. T.V.S.N. Prasad said the initiatives were part of a larger effort to transform the Commission from a case-processing institution into a more accessible, technology-driven and citizen-centric adjudicatory institution.
āThe success of the RTI Act cannot be measured merely by the number of cases disposed of. It has to be measured by how effectively information reaches the citizen. Our endeavour is therefore to reform the entire chain, from the filing of an RTI application and the functioning of the SPIO and FAA to the hearing, adjudication and dissemination of the Commission’s decisions,ā he said.
The event was attended by Information Commissioners Sh. Amarjit Singh, Sh. Karamvir Saini, Smt. Neeta Khera, Sh. Sanjay Madaan and Sh. Ajay Sura.
The Chief Information Commissioner thanked his colleague Commissioners, the entire team of the State Information Commission, departments of the Government and, importantly, stakeholders from the public at large for their collaborative efforts.
He also expressed the Commission’s appreciation to members of the media for joining the effort to improve the services of the Commission to the citizens of Haryana and to position the RTI Act as an effective instrument for strengthening transparency, accountability and ease of living.
