AP High Court questions state's practice of keeping government orders secret

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has raised concerns about the state government's practice of not publishing government orders (GOs) on the official website, effectively keeping them secret from the public. The court has asked the government to explain the rationale behind this practice and provide details on the number of GOs that are not being made publicly accessible.

The issue came to light during a hearing on a petition filed in 2021 by advocates Umesh Chandra, Ambati Sudhakar, and Srikanth. The petitioners argued that the government's failure to publish GOs online is a violation of the right to information and transparency.

Advocate Umesh Chandra informed the court that nearly 70 per cent of GOs are not being posted on the government's website. The court expressed surprise at this revelation and questioned the government's justification for keeping such a large number of GOs secret.

The government pleader sought additional time to provide details on the matter, and the court adjourned the hearing to November 22.