Promoting Transparency K. Antony Xavier
Information commissioner Ilamparithi noted that at least 2,000 RTI appeals are pending before the commission, out of which at least 90% of them were related to assets of various Hindu temples in the State. Hailing the HR&CE dept for setting a precedence to RTI Act way back in 1997 through a circular issued by the then commissioner Meikandadevan, which made indelible display of all temple endowments mandatory, the commissioner also pointed out a 2021 circular issued by HR&CE dept which reinforced publishing all temple property details on the official website.
“In the era of artificial intelligence, it is sad that people have to wait for 30 days to get mandatory information under RTI Act,” the commissioner said. Such petitions represent the demands of thousands of devotees visiting temples every day, he said. Chennai: The Tamil Nadu State Information Commission has ordered the hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department to proactively disclose details of movable and immovable properties of all temples under its control and display the same at the dept offices, respective temples, either through posters or on the notice boards.