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What Is The Right To Information Act ?
The Right to Information Act, 2005 has been passed by Parliament and has received the assent of the President on 15 June 2005. The Act aims at providing for setting out the practical regime of the 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.
What does Right To Information mean ?
It 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
A FRAMEWORK FOR TRANSPARENCY AUDIT
The RTI Act under section 4 provides a comprehensive framework for promoting openness in the functioning of the public authorities.
While Section 4(1) (a) provides a general guideline for record management, so that the information could be easily stored and retained, the sub-sections b, c and d of Section 4 relate to the organizational objects and functions. Sub-sections (b), (c) and (d) of Section 4 of the RTI Act and other related information can be grouped under six categories; namely, 1-organsiation and function, 2- Budget and programmes, 3- Publicity and public interface, 4-E. governance, 5-Information as prescribed and 6. Information disclosed on own initiative.
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