Kochi Corporation's plan to target frequent RTI users sparks heavy criticism

The Decision And Backlash

Kochi Corporation faces strong criticism from the opposition LDF, legal experts, and RTI activists over its decision to crack down on frequent users of the Right to Information Act. The UDF council decided on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, to hand over the names of serial RTI petitioners to the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. Kadavanthra councillor Gipson George raised the issue at the meeting, calling for action against what he termed RTI labourers.

Arguments And Allegations

Mr. George alleged that some people misuse the anti-corruption law to extort money with help from Corporation officials. He cited an incident where the owner of a 650 square foot building received a ransom demand of ₹5 lakh over permit issues. Mayor V.K. Minimol supported the move, stating the VACB itself warned about an extortion racket and noting that one activist filed over 2,000 petitions targeting the Corporation alone. She added that these abusers demand ransoms ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹5 crore, particularly around the Fort Kochi and Vyttila zonal offices.

Opposition And Legal Stance

Supreme Court lawyer Kaleeswaram Raj criticized the move, stating it goes against the spirit of the RTI Act because the law sets no limit on the number of applications a person can file. Meanwhile, LDF parliamentary party leader V.A. Sreejith called the decision politically incorrect and announced plans to petition the State Chief Information Commissioner and the Corporation Secretary on Monday, October 12, 2026. RTI Federation Keralam leaders Shashi Kizhakkada and Jolly Pavelil also opposed the action, stating it violates constitutional rights and Section 62 of the RTI Act, which states applicants do not need to reveal their purpose. The federation plans to approach the Governor to demand a rollback.

Context

The Right to Information Act is a central law in India designed to promote transparency and hold public authorities accountable by allowing citizens to request government records. Local government bodies like municipal corporations operate under state laws and must balance open public access to administrative records with measures to prevent administrative harassment or illegal extortion.