Right to information act 2005

MENU MENU • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Current Affairs • • • • • • Quizzes(Prelims) • • • • • • • Mains • • • • • • • • • Analyticas: Optional Subjects • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Current Affairs • • • • • • • • • • • • • Quizzes • • • • • • • • Mains • • • Interview • • • Questions Papers & Syllabus • • • • • • • • • • • • • • General Studies – 1 • • • • • • • • • General Studies – 2 • • • • • General Studies – 3 • • • • • • • General Studies – 4 • • • About the RTI Act, 2005: It sets out the rules and procedures regarding citizens’ right to information. It replaced the former Freedom of Information Act, 2002. • This act was enacted in order to consolidate the fundamental right in the Indian constitution ‘freedom of speech’. Since RTI is implicit in the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution, it is an implied fundamental right. Key Provisions: • Section 4 of the RTI Act requires suo motu disclosure of information by each public authority. • Section 8 (1) mentions exemptions against furnishing information under RTI Act. • Section 8 (2) provides for disclosure of information exempted under Official Secrets Act, 1923 if larger public interest is served. Genesis of the law • It was the Supreme Court that had sown the seeds of the RTI Act. • The people of this country have a right to know every public act, everything that is done in a public way by their public functionaries. • Their right to know, which...

Right to information Article 19 (1) of the Indian Constitution guarantees us the right to freedom of speech and expression and as recognized by the Supreme Court this also implies a full right to information. The Scope of information access According to Section 2 (j) of RTI Act 2005, "Right to Information" means the Right to Information accessible under this Act which is held by or under the possession of any Central or State Public Authority and that includes the right to: • Inspection of work, documents, records; • Taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records; • Taking certified samples of material; • Obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is stored in a computer or in any other device. Public authority means The Act gives you the right to access to information held by “public authorities” which includes authorities, bodies, institution of self government which are established or constituted • by the Constitution • by a law of Parliament or a State Legislature • by a notification or order of the State or Central Governments • Bodies owned, controlled or substantially financed by the State or Central Governments, including non-government organisations which receive substantial government funds directly or indirectly Information means… • Records • Documents • Memos • E-mails • Opinions • Advices • Press releases • Circulars • Orders • ...

This article is authored by Nidhi Bajaj , of Guru Nanak Dev University, Punjab. The article discusses important provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005 including objectives of the Act, right to information and obligations of public authorities, constitution of Information Commissions, powers and functions of Information Commissions, appeal and penalties etc. This article has been published by Sneha Mahawar . The right of a citizen to question the government on its various policies and measures forms the very essence of a democracy. In order to exercise this right and to hold the government accountable for its actions, the people must have access to the information regarding the affairs of the government. This is what RTI does. It informs the citizen regarding the affairs of the government and thereby ensures the active participation of a citizen in the working of the democracy at all times and not just once during voting. RTI is an index to measure the growth and development of a country. In this article, the author has discussed the important provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005: brief background The first central legislation dealing with the right to information in India, namely, the The amended act known as Objectives of the Right to Information Act, 2005 The objectives of the RTI Act, 2005 are as follows: • To provide for a practical framework that allows the citizens to access the information under the control of public authorities. • To promote t...

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Constitutional Basis for the implementation of the Right to Information Act The Information Commission under RTI Act Powers of the Central Information Commission The meaning of "Public Authorities" under the Act Responsibility of Public Authorities under the RTI How to make a request under the RTI Act? What if the requested information is not received within a period of 30 days? Striking a balance between transparency and privacy of individuals Supreme Court of India and the RTI Act Conclusion Introduction Citizens now have the legal right to request information from public authorities thanks to the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The act promotes The Right to Information Act, 2005 sets out the rules and procedures that deals with citizens’ right to information. It replaced the former Freedom of Information Act, 2002. The Act has the potential to transform democracy and empower citizens, and this can be better appreciated by gaining a thorough understanding of its legal complexities. This article will cover the legislative basis of RTI, its significant components, the extent of its coverage, any exclusions, and the judiciary’s responsibility in guaranteeing its successful execution. Constitutional Basis for the implementation of the Right to Information Act The legal basis for the Right to Information Act is rooted in the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression. This includes the right to access information. The Indian Consti...