Information Commission Orders GWMC To Release Temple Land Records

The order was issued by information commissioner B. Ayodhya Reddy following a complaint by S. Chakrapani, national general secretary of the consumers council.

The directive came after GWMC officials repeatedly stated during hearings that information pertaining to permissions for constructions, including a private college, school, public parks, and a Sulabh complex on temple land, was unavailable.

The issue surfaced when Chakrapani filed an RTI application (Appeal No. 14231/SIC–AR/2021) on February 25, 2021, seeking details and proof of municipal permissions for various constructions on the temple premises.

When the GWMC Public Information Officer (PIO) failed to provide the data, stating on July 22, 2021, that the records were not available, Chakrapani filed a second appeal with the commission on November 1, 2021.

The commissioner held a hearing on August 29, 2025, at the Warangal District Collectorate. During the session, the PIO and assistant city Planner again claimed that the requested records could not be found. The commission also noted that the First Appellate Authority had not conducted a hearing on the initial appeal.

Finding continued denial of information, the state information commissioner ordered the PIO to obtain the required details from the concerned GWMC departments and deliver them to the appellant by registered post within ten days of receiving the order.