“Right to Information Act, 2005 is an Act intended to empower the citizens to ensure democratic governance in its true color”.
“Right to Information Act, 2005 is an Act intended to empower the citizens to ensure democratic governance in its true color”. The right to information means the right to all the people across the country to know about the workings of the government functionaries. This Act has empowered people to become watchdogs of democracy and ensure a fair administration. The RTI act has helped the administration system to be fair and efficient and any or of maladministration or misappropriation is checked by the people. People are now no more just passive hearers but are even active participants of the country. RTI has helped people to know the information of government functionaries and has hence increased the accountability of government servants. Now, they cannot work according to their whims and fancies and are responsible to the people across the country.
Democratic governance is now ensured by way of RTI as the real power is with the people. Any sort of misappropriation or corruption cannot be veiled under the protections and people have the power and right to know the real functions and works they are doing. Earlier, under the Official Secret Act, 1923 knowledge and information of the government workings were not known to the public. This Act was passed by the Britishers after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre so as to arrest any person they like and without giving any due explanation to anyone.
But now, this Act is no more required, as the need for today is better administration and corruption-free environment. People have now become active participants and in case of any flaws in the administration, they can ask for RTI. The act has ensured transparency in operations and has curbed misappropriations of funds a lot. Government servants are now afraid to do activities of corruption or any activity which leads to maladministration as they are now under the scrutiny of people.
The right to information is an inherent part of right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1) of the Constitution. This was ruled under the case of Raj Narain v State of UP. The case came up after Smt. Indira Gandhi imposed emergency in the country and people were not given any information of the governmental workings therein. The court ruled that people have a right to know how their funds are being appropriated and how the government is working. RTI hence is one of the most important weapons in the hand of people to check the working and system of administration in the country.
RTI has helped ensure a better democracy and has made it possible that the true and genuine powers rest with the people of India and not with the particular department. Maladministration and corruption is intolerant in the country and responsible citizen come up many times against these evils to ensure goodness across the nation. Transparency of operations is necessary so that the evil does not gets veiled under the protections. The right to information has ensured accountability and transparency by way of answerability by the government departments. In case of failure to provide the required information, the public servant is fined.
People have a right to know how their funds by way of taxes are being used in the country. No information can now be hidden from them. However, information which is confidential like of defense, information relating to sovereignty and integrity of the nation and many more is not required to be revealed. This is done so as to ensure the confidentiality and privacy of operations. Yet, information of general nature which is in the benefit of people are large needs to be revealed. It is due to this that proper accounts and balance sheets of various government and public bodies are required to be furnished by them.
Democracy should ensure powers in the hands of all and not just a few. RTI has paved a way for the essence of a democratic regime and people across the nation have now, the real power to check the functionaries. A true and responsible citizenry along with a responsible government can help to ensure a progressive nation with better opportunities and growth. Right to Information Act, 2005 is an Act intended to empower the citizens to ensure democratic governance in its true color by way of giving power to its real owner- that is the people.
