The Right to Information (RTI) Act
The Right to Information (RTI) Act was passed by Parliament in 2005, aiming to give people access to the records of the Central and State governments. It was a vital reform to help activists and individuals ensure transparency and accountability in governance. The RTI Act 2005: The Act imposes an obligation on public agencies to disclose the information suo-moto to reduce requests
for information. It provides for the establishment of a Central Information Commission (CIC) and State Information
Commissions. They will be independent high-level bodies to act as appellate authorities and vested with the
powers of a civil court. It provides for the appointment of an information officer in each department to provide information to the
public on request. It fixes a 30-day deadline for providing information, the deadline is 48 hours if information concerns the life
or liberty of a person. Information will be free for people below the poverty line. For others, the fee will be reasonable. …
