THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) is an act to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.

Whereas the Constitution of India has established democratic Republic; And whereas democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of information which are vital to its functioning and also to contain corruption and to hold Governments and their instrumentalities accountable to the governed.

What is Information?

Information is not an abstract concept under the RTI Act. It is conceived as being contained in any material including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form.

Rights of Citizens

• A citizen has a right to seek such information from a public authority which is held by the public authority or under its control.
• The Act gives the citizen a right to information at par with the Members of Parliament and State Legislatures.
• A citizen has a right to obtain information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode.
• The Act gives the right to information only to the citizen of India.
• Only such information is required to be supplied which already exists and is held by the public authority.

Who is a Public Authority?

A Public authority is any authority or body or institution of self government established or constituted by or under the Constitution; or by any other law made by the Parliament or a State Legislature. Bodies owned, controlled or substantially financed by the Central Government or State Government also fall within the definition.

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