After social activist Anna Hazare announced an indefinite hunger strike, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an immediate halt to several controversial changes made in the Right to Information (RTI) rules. Earlier last month, Hazare had warned that if the state government did not immediately withdraw the amendments made in the RTI rules, he would start a hunger strike from July 5 in Ralegan Siddhi village of Ahilyanagar district.
Several important changes were proposed in the Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2026, which included higher application fees, making it mandatory to provide proof of identity, and also included a condition that information should be sought on only one subject in each application. But CM Fadnavis on Thursday directed the Chief Commissioner of RTI to put a stop to the newly notified rules.
Hazare’s strike against change
Angered by the amendment in the law, Anna Hazare had appealed to the Fadnavis government to withdraw these rules. They alleged that these amendments weaken the basic spirit of the RTI Act and make the process of getting government information more difficult for citizens. He also threatened that if the changes being made in RTI rules were not withdrawn, he would start an indefinite hunger strike from July 5.
In a letter sent to Chief Minister Fadnavis, Anna Hazare said that the new rules create hurdles in the process, increase expenses and create complexities in the appeal process, thereby weakening accountability. He also alleged that these rules were made without consulting the public. He demanded from the government that these should be immediately canceled and new rules should be made after consulting RTI experts, information commissioners, social activists, lawyers, journalists and citizens.
What significant changes were made
According to the notification issued by the General Administration Department and published in the Government Gazette on June 12, the new rules came into effect immediately as soon as they were published. Under the new rules, every applicant seeking information under the RTI Act will have to pay an application fee of Rs 730.
A provision has also been made in the rules that while making an RTI application, the issue should generally be limited to one subject only. Also, the word limit was also fixed and it should not exceed 150 words. If multiple subjects are involved, the PIO may process only the first subject and advise the applicant to file separate applications for the remaining other issues.
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