Chennai, September 27, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Tamil Nadu government has issued an order exempting the law and order wing of its Public Department from the Right to Information (RTI) Act, restricting access to a wide range of records relating to policing, protests and security.
The government has designated the wing as an organisation engaged in intelligence and security work, meaning applicants may no longer obtain several records held by it through routine RTI requests.
The exemption covers records concerning the appointment of commissions of inquiry into law and order incidents, communal and caste clashes, police arrests and custody, deaths of prisoners, and the receipt of police investigation reports.
It also includes records of monthly law and order review meetings held on the Chief Secretary’s instructions, as well as special meetings convened to address specific situations. Such meetings involve officials reviewing unrest, policing arrangements and administrative action.
The order further covers material prepared for answering law and order-related questions in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Records concerning demonstrations by students, farmers and political party workers are also covered, along with allegedly defamatory articles, news clippings and speeches scrutinised by the wing.
The government has maintained that all information relating to law and order cannot be made public. The order consequently provides the department a wider basis to refuse requests for records handled by the wing, including material concerning incidents that have drawn public attention.
However, the exemption has limitations under the RTI Act. Section 24(4) permits a state government to exempt an intelligence or security organisation by notification, but information concerning allegations of corruption or human rights violations is not excluded.
Requests involving alleged human rights violations require the approval of the State Information Commission and must be answered within the period specified under the Act. The notification must also be laid before the state legislature.
The practical impact of the order will depend on how the department applies it to individual RTI requests. Applicants seeking information concerning custodial deaths or alleged police misconduct may still invoke provisions relating to human rights violations, potentially making the scope of the exemption a matter of dispute in specific cases.
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