Tamil Nadu cabinet classifies law-order department as intelligence agency, shielding it from RTI requests

The state of Tamil Nadu, under Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, issued an order that exempts the Public (Law and Order) Department from the Right to Information Act. By invoking Section 24(4), the department is now treated as an intelligence and security organization, removing it from the public's right to request records. The department is responsible for policing, maintaining public order, and overseeing law-and-order administration.

This change means that citizens can no longer seek information about the department's internal matters through RTI filings. The decision was reported from New Delhi, and no detailed rationale or timeline for implementation was included. Critics may view the move as reducing transparency in a key area of public safety.