Vijay government exempts Tamil Nadu Public (Law & Order) department from RTI

In a recent development, the Tamil Nadu government, headed by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, has taken a significant step by exempting the Public (Law and Order) Department from the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The state government has classified this department as an Intelligence and Security Organization, placing it under the exemption framework outlined in Section 24(4) of the RTI Act.

This decision, made apparent through a gazette notification issued on September 21, 2026, by the Human Resources Management Department, places the department outside the scope of RTI requests, with certain statutory exceptions. The exemption's implications are considerable, as the Public (Law and Order) Department is responsible for policing, public order, and law-and-order administration.

As a result, requests under the RTI Act that seek information related to communal incidents, political agitations, police actions, or other law-and-order matters handled by this department may not be granted. The exemption, while broad, is not absolute. Organizations subject to this provision must still provide information pertaining to allegations of corruption and human rights violations, following the procedures stipulated by the RTI Act.

However, Tamil Nadu is not the first state to employ this exemption. The state has previously utilized this provision to exclude organizations such as the Tamil Nadu State Vigilance Commission and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.