Corruption: A persistent threat to India's future despite digitalisation and RTI
A discussion between Shailesh Gandhi and Anjali Bhardwaj highlights that corruption remains a significant threat to India, impacting basic rights and accountability. Digitalisation, while pushed as a solution, has not eliminated petty corruption and has created new barriers for the unlettered. The Right to Information (RTI) Act, once a powerful tool for transparency, has been weakened by Supreme Court judgments and the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, which allows denial of information related to corruption. Weak institutions like CBI, ED, and Lokpal further exacerbate the problem, making corruption a "all-profit, negligible-risk" activity.
Key Points
- Corruption persists as a major threat in India, affecting citizens' basic rights and institutional accountability.
- Digitalisation has not eradicated corruption and has created new challenges for marginalized communities.
- The RTI Act, a crucial transparency tool, has been significantly weakened by judicial interpretations and the DPDP Act, 2023.
- Weakness in accountability institutions like CBI, ED, and Lokpal contributes to corruption being a low-risk, high-reward activity.
- Strengthening RTI, ensuring transparent appointments, and fast-tracking corruption cases are crucial for combating corruption.
Exam Facts
- The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, is cited for undermining the RTI Act.
- Section 17A, introduced in 2018, requires government permission to investigate corruption charges against public servants.
- Anjali Bhardwaj states that about six million RTI requests are filed annually in India.
- India is at the 79th position in the rule of law index.
Read it. Retain it. Recall it.
Get spaced-repetition flashcards, daily quizzes and offline access — free on Android.