RTI Chief Commissioner denied entry into Guntur police station during surprise inspection
A surprise inspection by Andhra Pradesh Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Vajja Srinivasa Rao at Medikonduru Police Station in Guntur district has sparked controversy after police
A surprise inspection by Andhra Pradesh Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Vajja Srinivasa Rao at Medikonduru Police Station in Guntur district has sparked controversy after police personnel allegedly denied him entry while he was reviewing the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. According to official sources, the CIC visited the police station on Monday (July 13, 2026) as part of a statewide inspection drive to assess compliance with RTI provisions in government offices. However, the Sub-Inspector and Circle Inspector reportedly stopped him at the entrance, stating that he could enter the premises only after obtaining permission from the district Superintendent of Police (SP).
Following the refusal, the CIC returned without inspecting the police station. He later continued his scheduled inspection by visiting the nearby Mandal Tahasildar and Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO) offices. The development assumes significance as the Andhra Pradesh Information Commission has just concluded a two-day statewide inspection covering 258 government offices across 18 districts to evaluate the implementation of the RTI Act at the field level. The inspection teams, led by Mr. Vajja Srinivasa Rao and Information Commissioners Rehana Begum, Chavali Sunil, P. Simhachalam Naidu, Vonteru Ravi Babu, Gajula Adenna and V.S.C.K. Chakravarthy, examined whether Public Information Officers (PIOs) and First Appellate Authorities (FAAs) were maintaining mandatory records and displaying statutory information boards required under the Act.
During a review meeting held at the State Information Commission office in Mangalagiri on Tuesday evening, the Commission found widespread violations of Section 4(1)(b) of the RTI Act. It identified deficiencies in maintaining mandatory records, displaying details of PIOs and FAAs, Annexures I and II, and citizen service information boards. Show-cause notices were issued to 162 Public Information Officers for non-compliance. The Commission also observed that RTI norms were largely absent in village and ward secretariats. The Commission has treated the Medikonduru PS entry denial incident seriously, particularly as the CIC was carrying out a statutory inspection. The Commission decided to initiate all appropriate legal action to ensure the officer obeys the law.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao, when asked about the denial at Medikonduru, said that once the police officials blocked the entry into the PS by standing at the gate, he returned without any further argument with the personnel. The Commission is also expected to submit a detailed report on its statewide inspections to the Governor and the State Government, recommending measures for stricter implementation of the RTI Act across all government departments.
The BriefWire