Andhra Pradesh Information Commission bars RTI activist for ‘misuse’, orders record seizure

The Andhra Pradesh Information Commission (APIC) has issued a comprehensive order prohibiting RTI activist Perumal Jayachandra Reddy from filing applications, appeals, and complaints under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. The decision cites repeated misuse of the law, vexatious litigation, and serious allegations of financial exploitation of information seekers. The APIC, led by Chief Information Commissioner Vajja Srinivasa Rao, dismissed 39 appeals, emphasizing that Section 3 of the RTI Act confers the right to seek information only on individual citizens, not legal entities like societies. The order also directed the seizure of records, closure of all pending applications by the activist, and circulation of the order to all government departments, highlighting concerns over the Act being used for personal grievances, harassment, or financial gain.