Pune: The state govt on Thursday put on hold implementation of the Maharashtra Right to Information (RTI) Rules, 2026, after veteran social activist Anna Hazare objected to the newly notified framework and threatened to launch an indefinite hunger strike from July 5, if the new rules remained.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed the decision in a written reply to TOI, saying the Maharashtra RTI Rules, 2026, have been kept in abeyance.Other than Hazare’s proposed indefinite fast, residents of his native village Ralegan Siddhi had planned an agitation on Friday to support him. The supporters cited his advanced age and urged Hazare to not undertake the fast. Instead, they resolved to intensify their own agitation against the new rules.Meanwhile, following the CM’s directions, state chief information commissioner (CIC) Rahul Pande instructed all six divisional information commissioners to immediately inform govt departments and public authorities that the rules had been put on hold.State information commission secretary Ravindra Phalle issued a communication telling divisional information commissioners of Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati and Nagpur. He said that although the Maharashtra RTI Rules, 2026, had been notified in the Government Gazette on June 21 under Section 27 (2) of the RTI Act, it would not come into force for now. “As per the CM’s directions, the RTI Rules, 2026, have been kept in abeyance (put on hold),” the letter said. It directed commissioners to notify all public authorities and ensure compliance.State CIC told TOI: “Pre-June 12 position is restored and the same will be followed.”The RTI Act’s sections 27 to 29 empower the state to frame and notify rules to implement the law and place it before both Houses of the legislature. The Maharashtra RTI Rules, 2026, had replaced the 2005 Rules governing RTI applications, appeals and proceedings before public authorities and the state information commission.Several activists criticised the provisions that they believed could restrict citizens’ access to information, but they also acknowledged that the rules addressed long-pending procedural gaps.Director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Venkatesh Nayak said the rules introduced procedures to file first appeals, laid down safeguards for inspection of records and expanded fee payment options. “Most important, it fixed responsibility on heads of public authorities for record management and proactive disclosure under Section 4 of the RTI Act — an obligation reinforced by the Supreme Court’s 2023 judgment in the Kishan Chand Jain vs Union of India case.” he said.However, Nayak said several provisions remained “seriously problematic and restrictive” and required revision, rather than withdrawal. “The 2026 RTI Rules being withdrawn altogether is like throwing away the baby with the bathwater,” he said.The activist further said that CHRI had submitted a detailed critique and suggested amendments by email and Speed Post to the CM’s office through former CIC Wajahat Habibullah, last week. He urged the govt to use the pause to undertake a wider public consultation and frame a comprehensive, citizen-friendly set of RTI Rules that strengthens not weakens the transparency of the Act.Earlier, in his interaction with the state CIC at a meeting, Hazare had said that wider voluntary disclosure by authorities should reduce the need for citizens to file RTI applications for routine information and urged the govt to keep the RTI Rules, 2026, in abeyance until concerns raised by RTI users and transparency activists were examined.Hazare’s stand on the new rules were that it made it difficult for ordinary citizens to exercise their legal right to information by increasing filing fees, the requirement to submit identity proof, limiting application length and adding procedural barriers. He had said these changes weaken transparency and may conflict with the RTI Act itself.
