Maharashtra CM Halts New RTI Rules After Hazare's Hunger Strike Warning

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday ordered an immediate stay on the newly notified Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2026, hours after activist Anna Hazare threatened to launch an indefinite hunger strike over the changes.

The rules, published in the official gazette on June 12, had introduced higher application fees, mandatory identity proof, and a restriction that each application should deal with only one subject. Critics, including Mr. Hazare, argued that the amendments diluted the spirit of the Right to Information Act, 2005, and placed unnecessary hurdles before citizens seeking information from public authorities.

In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mr. Hazare claimed the rules were framed without public consultation and demanded their withdrawal. He said the new procedural requirements, higher costs, and complications in the appeal process would weaken transparency and accountability.

Under the revised rules, applicants were required to pay an application fee of ₹30, with charges of ₹5 per A4 page or scanned page for obtaining information. Inspection of records was free for the first hour but cost ₹50 per hour thereafter. Persons below the poverty line (BPL) were exempt from the application fee, though charges applied for information exceeding 50 pages.

Another significant change mandated that applicants submit a self-attested copy of a photo identity document proving Indian citizenship along with their RTI application. Applications without such proof could be returned for compliance. The rules also stated that an application should ordinarily be confined to a single subject and not exceed 150 words. Where multiple subjects were included, the Public Information Officer (PIO) could process only the first subject and advise the applicant to file separate applications for the remaining issues.

The rules further prescribed a fee of ₹50 for filing a first appeal before the First Appellate Authority and ₹100 for a second appeal before the Maharashtra State Information Commission. Hearings could be conducted physically or through video conferencing.

In addition, the rules placed responsibility on heads of public authorities to ensure proactive disclosure of information under Section 4 of the RTI Act, warning that failure to comply could attract disciplinary action under applicable service rules.

Chief Minister Fadnavis, after receiving the memorandum, instructed the Chief Commissioner of RTI to stay the implementation of the rules with immediate effect. The stay remains in place until the government reviews the amendments and holds consultations with stakeholders, sources said.

Mr. Hazare had announced he would begin an indefinite hunger strike from July 5 if the rules were not withdrawn. Following the Chief Minister's order, he said he would wait for the government to initiate a transparent process before deciding on further action.

The RTI Act, enacted in 2005, is a key transparency law that empowers citizens to access information from public authorities. The Maharashtra government's decision to stay the rules highlights the government's responsiveness to public concerns while maintaining the constitutional balance between administrative efficiency and citizens' right to information.