Write a note on misuse of 'Right to Information'.

Misuse of the 'Right to Information' (RTI Act, 2005) — Critical Note:

While RTI revolutionized democratic accountability, its practical implementation is increasingly challenged by deliberate misuse:

• Blackmail and Extortion: Unscrupulous individuals and local cartels file voluminous RTIs against public servants, contractors, and builders to coerce bribes or drop disputes.
• Frivolous and Vexatious Applications: Filing thousands of bizarre, repetitive, or voluminous queries (e.g., asking for 20 years of office stationery bills), paralyzing daily administrative work.
• Settling Personal Grudges: Using RTI to harass administrative superiors, colleagues, or estranged family members regarding personal confidential records.
• Burden on Public Information Officers (CPIOs): Severe resource diversion where officers spend disproportionate time answering non-public interest queries rather than public service delivery.

Judicial Guidelines: The Supreme Court (CBSE vs Aditya Bandopadhyay, 2011) held that RTI should not become a tool to paralyze administration, advocating rejection of vexatious queries lacking genuine public interest.