Hyderabad, Oct. 19 -- In what is being seen by activists as an undemocratic and authoritarian move, Telangana chief secretary Somesh Kumar has issued orders which will it difficult for the general public to obtain information through the Right to Information (RTI) act. The order essentially says that Public Information Officers will have to inform superiors before giving out information.

In a letter dated October 13, chief secretary Somesh Kumar asked all special chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries to the government (Telangana) to instrict Public Information Officers (PIO) appointed under the RTI Act to obtain their "orders" before furnishing the information to applicants concerned.

"It has come to the notice of the...