Gandhinagar: In a push towards transparency and accountability in governance, the Gujarat Government has issued fresh instructions aimed at ensuring more effective implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. The move follows key recommendations made by the Gujarat Information Commission in its Annual Administrative Report for 2023–24, which was presented before the Legislative Assembly.

As per a circular dated May 13, 2025, the State Government has approved several citizen-friendly measures, including:

• Government records should be properly classified, indexed, and published on official websites.

• Up to five pages of information shall be provided free of cost.

• When information is requested via email or online, it should be provided in the form of photographs. In such cases, physical copies should not be issued.

• When an applicant is invited for self-inspection of records, only the relevant information should be allowed to be photographed or copied to a portable storage device. Physical copies should not be provided afterward.

The government has also directed all First Appellate Officers to ensure that “Speaking Orders” are issued in first appeals after considering Form-A, inputs from the Public Information Officer, and appeal documents. Public Information Officers will be bound to comply with these orders.

In a bid to further strengthen proactive disclosure, all public authorities have been instructed to update Section 4(1)(b) disclosures as per guidelines issued in 2009 and 2019.

Proactive disclosure (PAD) must be made available to citizens free of cost, at a prescribed fee, or at the cost of printing. This disclosure should also include information that is frequently requested by applicants.

Details of actions taken by the State Government regarding illegal constructions, undue influence, and approvals granted for permits, licenses, permissions, and authorizations must be proactively published, said the official circular. Furthermore, all public authorities have been instructed to establish a system that automatically notifies the applicant via SMS or email at each stage of the approval process. This ensures applicants are kept informed about the progress of their applications.

Welcoming the decision, the Gujarat Information Commission expressed gratitude to the State Government for what it termed “revolutionary instructions” that promise a radical improvement in the implementation of the RTI Act. DeshGujarat