Indian citizens living abroad, including Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), remain deprived of the opportunity to participate in virtual hearings of Right to Information (RTI) appeals and complaints—a critical gap that threatens the core of India’s transparency framework. Commodore (Retd.) Lokesh K. Batra, a leading transparency advocate, has once again raised the alarm over the continued digital exclusion of NRIs from the RTI process.
In an open letter addressed to Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Batra urged urgent intervention to address this long-standing issue.
Official Assurances vs. Ground Reality
Batra’s letter references Dr. Singh’s own reply in the Lok Sabha on 8 August 2018, where he confirmed that “all citizens of India have the right to seek information under the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005. NRI citizens are eligible to file RTI applications.”
Despite this official assurance, Indian citizens abroad are still unable to participate in appeal proceedings due to the absence of online hearing facilities before the Central Information Commission (CIC). Batra highlights the core issue succinctly:
“Indian citizens living abroad and NRIs are unable to exercise the full potential of their right to information (RTI) due to lack of facilities and modalities for virtual RTI hearings.”
This situation underscores a stark contradiction between government promises and operational reality. While over 2,200 public authorities are integrated into the online RTI portal (rtionline.gov.in), and Indian courts—including the Supreme Court—have adopted hybrid hearing models, no mechanism exists at the CIC for NRIs to present appeals virtually.
A Longstanding Campaign for Digital Inclusion
Since the inception of the RTI Act in 2005, Batra has played a pivotal role in exposing key transparency issues, including investigations into the PM CARES Fund, Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, and the 2007 Nithari killings. He also pioneered initiatives such as electronic Indian postal orders (e-IPO), enabling Indians abroad to pay RTI fees online.
Batra’s efforts date back to 2009, when he filed a complaint with the CIC highlighting two major obstacles faced by NRIs:
- Lack of a clear mode of payment for RTI fees.
- Absence of access to appeal hearings.
These efforts led to inter-ministerial consultations and the eventual launch of the e-IPO system in 2013, allowing Indians abroad to pay RTI fees electronically. The RTI online portal, launched in 2013, further simplified the process by enabling electronic filing of RTIs and appeals.
Historical Recommendations Ignored
As far back as 2010, the CIC had recognized the need for online participation for NRIs and recommended that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) frame suitable guidelines. The commission even suggested that a solution could be implemented within six months.
Despite these recommendations, no update has been provided by DoPT on any system or proposal to facilitate virtual RTI hearings for citizens abroad. In March 2025, Batra filed another RTI from the US seeking updates on this issue, but a clear response is yet to be received.
A Plea for Urgent Action
In his latest open letter, Batra makes a simple but urgent appeal:
“I humbly appeal to the minister for his kind intervention to facilitate ‘virtual RTI case hearings’ for Indian citizens abroad and NRIs to ensure a robust transparency regime.”
He emphasizes that this issue is especially important while Parliament is in session, with lawmakers debating matters central to public interest and citizen engagement.
The Digital Democracy Paradox
At a time when India positions itself as a digital-first democracy, the exclusion of a tech-savvy segment of its citizenry from basic rights like virtual hearing access undermines this narrative. NRIs—including students, professionals, researchers, and diplomats—are being denied their rightful access to justice under the RTI Act, weakening public accountability.
Batra’s repeated appeals highlight a glaring omission in India’s digital governance framework. The question remains: Will the government act to fulfill this promise, or will administrative inertia continue to deny NRIs their rightful access to RTI hearings?
Source : Money Life
