Right to Information Act in India(An Overview)

Abstract

The Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI) is doubtless a milestone in the deliberate route taken by the country for setting up bedrock foundation for democratic institutions and impart depth to public responsive functioning of the Government and its various agencies. It is a significant tool to ensure transparency in most of the operations of the Government. Its proper implementation will ensure good governance and eliminate corruption and thereby move up the ranking of the country in the index of honesty in the governmental and institutional operations. Right to Information means the freedom of people to have access to government information. It implies that the citizens and non-governmental organizations should enjoy a reasonable free access to all files and documents pertaining to the governmental operations, decisions, and performance. In other words, it means openness and transparency in the functioning of government. Thus, it is antithetical to secrecy in public administration. According to the Woodrow Wilson, “I for one have the conviction that government ought to be all outside and not inside. I, for my part, believe that there ought to be no place where everything can be done that everyone does not know about. Everyone knows corruption thrives in secret places and avoids public places.” The aim of this article is explain about the importance of Right to Information Act in India and explain about the provisions about this Act.