{"id":1110,"date":"2026-05-22T05:13:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T05:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/?p=1110"},"modified":"2026-05-29T09:17:01","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T09:17:01","slug":"right-to-information-act-2005","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/22\/right-to-information-act-2005\/","title":{"rendered":"Right to Information Act, 2005"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Right to Information Act, 2005<\/strong><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

About<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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  • Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, Public Authorities<\/strong> are required to make disclosures on various aspects of their structure and functioning.  <\/strong> \n
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    • This includes: (i) disclosure on their organisation, functions, and structure, (ii) powers and duties of its officers and employees, and (iii) financial information.   <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • If such information is not made available<\/strong>, citizens have the right to request<\/strong> it from the Authorities.   <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • This may include information in the form of documents, files, or electronic records <\/strong>under the control of the Public Authority. The intent behind the enactment of the Act is to promote transparency and accountability <\/strong>in the working of Public Authorities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Who is included in the ambit of \u2018Public Authorities\u2019?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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      • The RTI Act defines \u201cpublic authorities\u201d in Section 2(h).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • A \u201cpublic authority\u201d<\/strong> means any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted<\/strong>\n
          \n
        • by or under the Constitution; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • by any other law made by Parliament; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • by any other law made by State Legislature; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • by notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government, and includes any \u2013 <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • body owned, controlled or substantially financed; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Non-Government organization substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Section 8 of the RTI\u202f<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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          • This provides for exemption from disclosure of information <\/strong>that are more valid in reasons:\u202f\n
              \n
            • Which would affect the sovereignty and integrity<\/strong> of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Which has been expressly forbidden<\/strong> to be published by any court of law or tribunal; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Which would cause a breach of privilege<\/strong> of Parliament or the State Legislature; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property;<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Information received in confidence from foreign government;<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Information which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person; <\/strong>etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              Enforcement<\/strong>\u202f<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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              • The Act has established a three tier structure <\/strong>for enforcing the right to information guaranteed under the Act. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • The first request for information goes to the Central\/State Assistant Public Information Officer <\/strong>and Central\/State Public Information Officer<\/strong>, designated by the Public Authorities. These Officers are required to provide information to an RTI applicant within 30 days <\/strong>of the request.  \n
                  \n
                • If information sought concerns the life or liberty of a person, <\/strong>it shall be supplied within 48 hours.<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Appeals from their decisions go to an Appellate Authority<\/strong>.   <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Appeals against the order of the Appellate Authority go to the State Information Commission or the Central Information Commission<\/strong>.  \n
                    \n
                  • These Information Commissions consist of a Chief Information Commissioner, and up to 10 Information Commissioners.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    Section 4(2) of the RTI<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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                    • It mandates that different authorities and government departments should voluntarily disclose (suo motu) much information to the public at regular intervals through various means,<\/strong> including the internet, so that the public have minimum resort to the use of this Act to obtain information.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                      Fee<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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                      • There is an application fee<\/strong> that varies for the Centre and for States.<\/strong>  \n
                          \n
                        • For public authorities under the Central Government<\/strong>, this is Rs. 10.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                          Why in News?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                            \n
                          • The Central Information Commission <\/strong>has held that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not fall within the ambit of a \u201cpublic authority\u201d <\/strong>under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act and therefore cannot be compelled to disclose information under the law.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                            \n

                            Central Information Commission:<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
                              \n
                            • The\u00a0Central Information Commission\u00a0was constituted in 2005 under the\u00a0Right to Information Act, 2005.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • The Commission includes\u00a01 Chief Information Commissioner (CIC)\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0not more than 10 Information Commissioners (IC)\u00a0<\/strong>who will be appointed by the\u00a0President of India\u00a0<\/strong>on recommendation of a committee consisting of\u00a0\u00a0\n
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                              • Prime Minister<\/strong>\u00a0(Chair),\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              • Leader of the Opposition\u00a0<\/strong>in the\u00a0Lok Sabha<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              • A Union Cabinet Minister<\/strong>\u00a0to be nominated by the Prime Minister.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              • The\u00a0jurisdiction<\/strong>\u00a0of the Commission\u00a0extends over all Central Public Authorities.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              • The Commission\u2019s powers and functions which broadly relate to:\u00a0\n
                                  \n
                                • adjudication in second appeal<\/strong>\u00a0for giving information;\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                • direction<\/strong>\u00a0for record keeping,\u00a0suo\u00a0motu disclosures receiving and enquiring into a complaint on inability to file RTI\u00a0etc;\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                • imposition of\u00a0penalties<\/strong>\u00a0and<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                • monitoring and\u00a0reporting<\/strong>\u00a0including preparation of an annual report.\n
                                    \n
                                  • The decisions of the Commission are\u00a0final and binding.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                      \n
                                    • BCCI is a\u00a0society<\/strong>\u00a0registered under the\u00a0Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                      Right to Information Act, 2005 About Who is included in the ambit of \u2018Public Authorities\u2019? Section 8 of the RTI\u202f Enforcement\u202f Section 4(2) of the RTI Fee Why in News? Central Information Commission:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-polity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1110"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1112,"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1110\/revisions\/1112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/materials.simplycurrentaffairs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}