Paper III

The Right to Information Act, 2005

The Right to Information Act, 2005 is an Indian law that was enacted by the Parliament of India on June 15, 2005. The Act provides for the right to access information held by public authorities in India. It aims to promote transparency and accountability in government by empowering citizens to access information and hold public officials accountable for their actions.

Under the Act, citizens have the right to request information from public authorities, including government departments, public sector undertakings, and other agencies funded by the government. The Act sets out procedures for making requests and requires public authorities to provide information within a specified time period. It also provides for penalties for public officials who fail to provide information or who provide false information.

The Act covers a wide range of information, including information on government policies, decisions, and actions, as well as information on public funds, contracts, and licenses. However, there are some exemptions to the right to information, such as information related to national security, personal privacy, and confidential commercial information.

The Act has been hailed as a major step towards promoting transparency and accountability in India. It has enabled citizens to access information on a wide range of issues, including corruption, government spending, and environmental degradation. However, there have also been concerns about the implementation of the Act, with some public officials accused of obstructing the flow of information and failing to comply with requests. is an Indian law that was enacted by the Parliament of India on June 15, 2005. The Act provides for the right to access information held by public authorities in India. It aims to promote transparency and accountability in government by empowering citizens to access information and hold public officials accountable for their actions.

Under the Act, citizens have the right to request information from public authorities, including government departments, public sector undertakings, and other agencies funded by the government. The Act sets out procedures for making requests and requires public authorities to provide information within a specified time period. It also provides for penalties for public officials who fail to provide information or who provide false information.

The Act covers a wide range of information, including information on government policies, decisions, and actions, as well as information on public funds, contracts, and licenses. However, there are some exemptions to the right to information, such as information related to national security, personal privacy, and confidential commercial information.

The Act has been hailed as a major step towards promoting transparency and accountability in India. It has enabled citizens to access information on a wide range of issues, including corruption, government spending, and environmental degradation. However, there have also been concerns about the implementation of the Act, with some public officials accused of obstructing the flow of information and failing to comply with requests.

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