The Right to Information Act (RTI) is a law enacted by the Parliament of India. This law was passed by Parliament on 15 June 2005 and came fully into force on 12 October 2005. Any citizen may request information from a “public authority” (a body of Government or “instrumentality of State”) which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days under these laws. Private bodies are not within the Act’s ambit directly. However, information that can be accessed under any other law in force by a public authority can also be requested for. The Act extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. OCI’s (Overseas Citizens of India) and PIO’s (Persons of Indian Origin) card holders can also ask for information under the RTI Act. Right to Information includes the right to:
- Inspect works, documents, records.
- Take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records.
- Take certified samples of material.
- Obtain information in form of printouts, diskettes, floppies, tapes, video, cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts.
“information” means any material in any form, 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 and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.
If you are a citizen of Indian, the RTI Act has given you a lot of power that you can and must use. Any work related to a Government office or utility, a phone line, a water connection, a ration card, repair of road in your neighborhood, sewage or garbage problem can be get done by invoking the RTI. One must desist the temptation to bribe a Government official for getting the work done.
