Shillong, Oct 13: The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the Right to Information (RTI) Act with a programme held at Congress Bhavan, Shillong, where party Working President Manuel Badwar addressed the media.

Badwar highlighted that the RTI Act, enacted by the Congress-led government in 2005, was a landmark legislation aimed at empowering citizens to access information and promote transparency in governance. However, he said that since the BJP came to power in 2014, successive amendments have weakened the Act’s core purpose and effectiveness.

He particularly expressed concern over the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, which he said has created additional barriers to information access. “Government departments can now deny disclosure by classifying information as personal data, making it harder for citizens to hold authorities accountable,” Badwar stated.

The MPCC has therefore demanded a review and amendment of both the RTI Amendment Act, 2019 and the Data Protection Act, 2023, urging the Central Government to restore and safeguard the people’s right to transparency and accountability in public administration.