Archive · 21 Jan 2026
Orissa High Court overturns RTI activist's debarment
A man named Chittaranjan Sethy often asks for information from the government using a law called RTI.
The Odisha State Information Commission said he was asking too many questions and stopped him from asking more for a year.
They also said he could only ask 12 questions in a year.
But the Orissa High Court said this was not fair and removed the restriction.
Now, Sethy can ask as many questions as he wants under the RTI law.
The Orissa High Court set aside an order by the Odisha State Information Commission that had debarred RTI activist Chittaranjan Sethy from filing new queries for one year.
The Commission had found Sethy's applications repetitive and burdensome, placing unnecessary stress on public resources.
The High Court ruled that the restriction on the number of RTI applications was not justified.
The Commission had allowed a maximum of 12 applications in a calendar year under the RTI Act.
The High Court's decision allows Sethy to file an unlimited number of RTI applications.
- Who
- Chittaranjan Sethy (RTI activist), Orissa High Court, Odisha State Information Commission
- What
- The High Court set aside the Commission's order debarring Sethy from filing RTI queries for one year
- When
- The Commission's order was on 13 September 2025; the High Court's decision date is not specified
- Where
- Orissa High Court, Odisha, India
- Why
- The High Court found the restriction on the number of RTI applications unjustified and set aside the order
- Activist Name
- Chittaranjan Sethy
- Commission's Order Date
- 13 September 2025
- High Court's Decision Date
- Not specified
- Maximum Allowed Applications
- 12 per calendar year (as per Commission's order)
- Debarment Period
- 1 year (as per Commission's order)
