A group of RTI activists in Mumbai decided on Monday to do a social audit of the Maharashtra state information commissioners. Activists have prepared a questionnaire which will be given to the appellants and complainants approaching the information commission. Appellants and complainants have to submit RTI related documents for the audit.
“The information that we collect will be used for compiling statistics, making representations to the government on behalf of the general public, and submitting reports to higher judiciary and media,” said G.R.Vora, Mumbai based RTI activist.
This would be a way to improve dialogue and send a message to information commissioners that they had to abide by the law and facilitate flow of information as mandated by the RTI Act 2005, he added.

Non- compliance of the orders of the information commission was the main reason for launching the audit. “There are a number of cases where the commission orders the government department to disclose the information, but the department does not comply by the orders. Through the audit, we will know which departments, in particular, are doing this,” said Mohammad Afzal, an RTI activist.

“All the files that we receive will be studied, compiled as data and submitted to the authorities for action," said Afzal.
As per the RTI Act 2005, state information commissioners are the second appellate authority.