Right to Information Act

Description

The elements of transparency, openness and accountability are the three basic features of a participatory democracy. A democratic set up of governance requires an informed citizenary who are the real stake holders in any system of administration. People’s right to know, therefore, assumes prime importance in the modern system of Governments. Maximum disclosure of information with minimum inevitable secrecy is the basic foundation of Information Law, the world over, and India is no exception to this.
The Right to Information has been recognised not only as a constitutional and fundamental right, but also as a human right and a potent weapon in the hands of the citizens providing them safeguard against oppression and corruption in the Government agencies. The demand for an effective right to information law was raised by some social activists as an outcry against governments high-handedness during 1990’s which eventually led some States to enact their local freedom of information laws, which later provided a blue print for the Parliament to bring out a central legislation called the Right to Information Act, 2005, which is undoubtedly a significant contribution to the existing laws in public domain.
Ever since the enforcement of the Right to Information Act, there have been published a number of books, commentaries, manuals etc. written by distinguished authorities on this subject. This book is, therefore, an addition to the existing legal literature on Information Law with focus on the working of the Act for the past few years and the practical problems that are being faced in the implementation of this beneficial legislation. It incorporates the relevant judicial pronouncements and important directions handed down by the Central Information Commission on right to information from time to time. A brief account of the historical evolution of Right to Information Law in India along with its global perspective would be found useful for the more inquisitive readers. The Appendices at the end of the book would serve as a ready reference for the academic lawyers, members of the Bar and the Bench.
The authorities, both Indian and foreign, that are relied upon and used as a source material in writing this book have been duly acknowledged in the footnotes.