Hyderabad: BRS MLC Dr. Sravan Dasoju on Saturday sought urgent intervention from the Telangana State Information Commission. He alleged that the Telangana government had deliberately suppressed crucial public data in the name of social justice and Backward Classes reservations.
Addressing Chief Information Commissioner Dr. G. Chandrashekar Reddy, Dr. Dasoju invoked the Right to Information Act, 2005. He sought mandatory directions for immediate suo motu disclosure of SEEEPC Survey and caste census data. He said this data formed the basis of the proposed 42 per cent BC reservation policy.
SEEEPC Survey data disclosure central to policy legitimacy
Dr. Dasoju said the State claimed to have conducted an extensive SEEEPC Survey. It also constituted expert committees and introduced legislative measures. However, he pointed out that the government failed to place core reports in the public domain. These included raw caste-wise data, survey methodology, and expert opinions. Therefore, he said a reservation policy without transparent data reflected reckless governance.
Referring to constitutional principles, he said such secrecy weakened informed public debate. Moreover, it limited proper legislative scrutiny. He described the non-disclosure as a structural violation, not a procedural lapse. In this context, he cited Sections 4(1)(b) and 4(2) of the RTI Act, which mandate proactive publication of policy-related information.
Additionally, Dr. Dasoju referred to Supreme Court judgments. These included Kishan Chand Jain v. Union of India (2023) and Chief Information Commissioner v. State of Manipur (2011). He said the rulings clearly upheld citizens’ right to access policy-foundational data.
Seeking time-bound relief, he demanded immediate digital publication of all SEEEPC Survey materials. He also sought a formal declaration on policy transparency. Further, he asked for compliance reporting within 15 to 30 days. In conclusion, he warned that secrecy eroded public trust. He added that democracy could not survive governance carried out in darkness.
