Chief Government Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) today disclosed the criteria the administration follows when responding to Right to Information (RTI) requests submitted under the Right to Information Act.
Information Commissioner Ahid Rasheed responded last night to remarks made by Attorney General (AG) Ahmed Usham, who had alleged that the RTI Act is being "abused."
Addressing questions at a press conference today, Spokesperson Mundhu said that the President's Office has already responded to the majority of RTI requests.
"In some instances, when we verify the applicants, their identities do not even match. Our position is that we will provide answers to questions submitted in good faith, through legitimate means, and with a sense of responsibility," he said.
Mundhu further explained that the RTI requests currently pending are those that are difficult to answer immediately. However, he emphasized that the government's objective remains to provide responses to those inquiries as well.
"There are certain pieces of information that cannot be disclosed, such as details that could jeopardize foreign relations, information subject to confidentiality clauses in financial agreements, and matters concerning national security," Mundhu said, outlining the criteria used by the government in responding to requests.
Mundhu maintained that some RTI requests submitted under the Act are not legitimate.
"The request must be submitted by a verifiable individual. The law stipulates certain requirements; when we are to be held accountable, we must know who we are responding to. We receive RTI requests where, upon investigation, the applicant does not even appear to be a real person," Mundhu added.
Information Commissioner rejects AG's claims of RTI Act abuse, highlights government non-compliance
Information Commissioner Ahid Rasheed rejected Attorney General Ahmed Usham's claims that the RTI Act is being abused, stating there is no evidence of such a trend.
Despite the government's assertions, Information Commissioner Ahid stated in a post on social media X that there is no evidence to suggest that any party is abusing the RTI Act.
According to statistics released by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM) for last year, the majority of the 712 complaints filed—specifically 487 cases—pertained to a total lack of response from state institutions.
The President’s Office remains one of the institutions with the highest number of complaints against it. In addition to failing to respond to numerous requests, the office has also faced criticism for delaying the release of information even after being ordered to do so by the Information Commissioner.
