Rti Act 2005 - Features
Right to Information Act, 2005
In order to promote transparency and accountability in administration, the Indian Parliament enacted the Freedom to Information Act, 2002, which was repealed later with the Right to Information Act, which came into force on 12 October 2005. The new law empowers Indian citizens to seek information from a Public Authority, thus making a Government and its functionaries more accountable and responsible. What is the necessity of this Act? A citizen who is paying taxes, has every right to ask What Government is doing with his tax money? Why the roads outside his house are not fixed? Why one has not received his ‘ration card’ yet? Looking up on the above questions, the Parliament of India has enacted RTI Act, which has the potential to bring transparency, accountability and reduce corruption. The main features of this Act are given below: - * The Act extends to the whole of India except J&K. * It has 31 Sections in 6 Chapters. * A citizen, who desires to obtain any information under this Act, should need to make an application to Public Information Officer. * He should make payment of application fee at the time of submitting application. * PIO has to supply information within 30 days in a normal course of time. * Within 48 hours for information which concerns life and liberty of a person. * Failure to provide information within specified time period is deemed to be a refusal. * A PIO can be punished for not providing information within given time period. He can be fined @ Rs. 250/- per day up to the maximum limit of Rs. 25000/-. * Few days back office of the Chief Justice of India has also included in the list, which has to provide information under this Act. * This Act is a big step towards making the citizens informed about the activities of the
In order to promote transparency and accountability in administration, the Indian Parliament enacted the Freedom to Information Act, 2002, which was repealed later with the Right to Information Act, which came into force on 12 October 2005. The new law empowers Indian citizens to seek information from a Public Authority, thus making a Government and its functionaries more accountable and responsible. What is the necessity of this Act? A citizen who is paying taxes, has every right to ask What Government is doing with his tax money? Why the roads outside his house are not fixed? Why one has not received his ‘ration card’ yet? Looking up on the above questions, the Parliament of India has enacted RTI Act, which has the potential to bring transparency, accountability and reduce corruption. The main features of this Act are given below: - * The Act extends to the whole of India except J&K. * It has 31 Sections in 6 Chapters. * A citizen, who desires to obtain any information under this Act, should need to make an application to Public Information Officer. * He should make payment of application fee at the time of submitting application. * PIO has to supply information within 30 days in a normal course of time. * Within 48 hours for information which concerns life and liberty of a person. * Failure to provide information within specified time period is deemed to be a refusal. * A PIO can be punished for not providing information within given time period. He can be fined @ Rs. 250/- per day up to the maximum limit of Rs. 25000/-. * Few days back office of the Chief Justice of India has also included in the list, which has to provide information under this Act. * This Act is a big step towards making the citizens informed about the activities of the