Understanding the Right to Information Act (RTI): A Comprehensive Overview

The Right to Information Act empowers citizens by promoting transparency and accountability in the functioning of Government Authorities. It’s a significant step towards keeping citizens informed about government activities.

Essential Aspects of the RTI Act

• For just Rs.10, Indian Citizens can access information present in government records.
• An RTI Request must be responded to within 30 days, excluding weekends and holidays. If the request is about life or liberty, the response time is 48 hours.
• The RTI Act clearly defines its scope.

Defining ‘Information’ in the Context of RTI

According to the RTI Act, “information” includes any material in any form, such as records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, and data material held in any electronic form.

Procedure to Submit an RTI Request

Online Method:

• Visit the RTI Online Portal of the Centre or your State Government.
• Locate your Public Authority.
• Ask your questions.
• Pay Rs. 10.
• Wait for the response.

Offline Method:

• Write your RTI Request on paper and sign every page. Mention your address for correspondence.
• Buy an Indian Postal Order (IPO) of Rs. 10 from the Post Office and attach it to the request.
• Send the post via Registered Post to the Public Information Officer of the Public Authority.
• Wait for the response.

Exceptions in the RTI Act

Certain exemptions are outlined in Section 8 and 9 of the RTI Act. Intelligence and security organizations established by the Central Government are exempted from replying to RTI.

RTI Applications in the Education Sector

• You can get placement records if the college maintains them.
• You can get certified copies of your CBSE answer sheets, or your college answer sheets.
• In a certain case, my friends were being harassed by hostel authorities into paying more money under the garb of a new contract with the mess handling company. An RTI found no such contract existed and action was taken.