Index IntroductionSalient Features of RTI Act of IndiaImplementation:The act includes the right to:Objectives of RTI ActUsefulness of RTI ActConclusionIntroduction Implementation of Right to Information Act, 2005 is a milestone in the history of Indian administration. The new legislation has brought sensitivity, responsibility and accountability to the development process. The RTI Act is innovative in checking corruption and delays in the implementation of government-sponsored programs and functioning of public authorities. The law gives impetus to the development process and constitutes a remedy to combat corruption in public authorities. Although the RTI Act is contradictory to the Official Secrecy Act, 1923 and is not free from pitfalls, it is an important tool for strengthening democracy, accelerating the economic development of the country in general and rural areas in particular. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Salient Features of RTI Act of India Various sections of the society especially media personnel, social activities and positively thinking people have always expressed the right to seek information should be a fundamental right as well as we have the right to speak and express ourselves. Internationally, the citizen's right to information is described as freedom of information, access to information or right to information. The right to information is implicit in the Indian Constitution, which establishes a representative democracy with inalienable rights for the citizens of the country, rights which have been repeatedly strengthened by the judiciary. The Right to Information in India has significantly sought to expand democratic space and enable citizens to exercise control over corrupt practices under state power. Various studies reveal that many people are unaware of the detailed features, scope and procedures in the functioning of the different provisions of the Right to Information 3 Act, which is a major obstacle to the fundamental objective of people's empowerment. This section provides the salient features of the RTI Act, about the application procedure, timeframe, reasons for rejection and other aspects. Implementation: The RTI Act came into force on 12 October 2005 (120th day of its coming into force on 19 June 2005). Some provisions came into force with immediate effect, e.g. obligations of public authorities, designation of public information officers and public information assistants, establishment of the Central Information Commission, establishment of the State Information Commission, non-applicability of the law to intelligence and security bodies and power to make rules for carrying out the provisions of the act. Meaning of information: Information means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, emails, opinions, advice, press releases, circulars, orders, records, contracts, reports, documents, samples, templates, information material stored in any electronic format and information relating to any private body which may be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force, but does not include file notation. By information we mean only information recorded in material and not oral form. Opinions are information when put in writing. It is therefore implicit that the law does not cover any oral communications. Despite their right to information, citizens are not entitled to all information available from public authorities.Citizens' right to information is limited to the extent of information recorded and published and to the extent of information recorded but not published and if non-publication is due to secrecy provisions, the information officer 4 is given the power to decide whether the revelation of the information will serve a broader public interest than that served by keeping the information as secret. The act provides the right to: Inspect works, documents and records. Take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or documents. Take certified samples of material. Obtain information in the form of prints, diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic or printed form. Objectives of the RTI Act The objectives of the RTI Act are multiple. The important objectives of the law are outlined below. Create Awareness: The Right to Information Act will create a sense of awareness among common people so that they can participate in shaping government policies and programmes. The act is expected to create a voice-producing mechanism and knowledgeable citizens which are prerequisites of a civil society. To invite suggestions: People will be able to examine the flaws of government policies and implementation mechanisms. By observing the faults, they will be able to make their suggestions which will help the government to correct its faults. The law emphasized the sovereignty of citizens and improved people's psychology. Changing the psychology of bureaucracy: The law will help to form a sensitive bureaucracy for the congenial management and effective implementation of government policies and 5 programs suited to the common people. Furthermore, the law is expected to change the psychology and sentiment of the bureaucracy so that they are able to upgrade their minds in consonance with the benefit of the people. To reduce official secrecy: the law will be able to tear apart the traditional culture of official secrecy of the bureaucracy and make it open to the people. To increase the dignity of the country: The Right to Information Act will bring transparency in the functioning of the government and reduce the levels of corruption. It will increase the country's dignity in the international sphere. Strengthen the entrenchment of the Indian Federation: According to the provisions of the federation, if the law of a State contravenes the law of the Central Government, then the law of the State the Central Government is declared more powerful and the law of the State becomes ineffective. Publicize the act: For this act, the mass media will be more powerful in publishing more valid news related to the important decisions of the government. By understanding the scope, the area of focus and the needs felt by the people, the law can be changed. Encourage Values-Based Politics: The law will help strengthen the quality of democracy and values-based politics in the country. The law will also help solve many chronic problems associated with the country's socioeconomic development. Usefulness of RTI Act It can be said that the right to know is the most fundamental of all those rights, which are fundamental to uphold human dignity. The usefulness of the RTI Act can be stated as follows: It helps in overall administrative improvement: Applications have been raised under the RTI Act on socio-economic development of the Panchayat under various schemes. The responses revealed great misuse of money. This has pushed people to improve the administrative system to get maximum benefit from government programs for rural development. This needs to be replicated to other Panchayats. The aim of RTI should be to improve the administrative system that hinders development. Measurescorrective measures to contain corruption: corruption is against development. RTI can help in identifying the methodology and practice of corruption, for example, University of Bombay through RTI was found to be planning to affiliate an institute for awarding MBA degrees, etc. without meeting the necessary requirements. Procedural Reforms: Right to Information Act can help to find out how what is wrong with the procedures, for example in Haryana, Haryana Urban Development Authority has become a den of corrupt practices due to procedures wrong. Even getting a clean house map could take months. Nothing can be done without money.Therefore the RTI Act is an important step in reforming procedures that corrupt practices. Citizen-friendly administration: Complaints under the RTI Act have revealed in Maharashtra that posting and transfers are done through letters written by politicians to fleece people through them. Action is being taken against police officers and this would slowly make the police administration accountable to the people. RTI Act can expose top level leadership: Information received through RTI Act 2005 in union and state commissions reveals that staff at the highest levels are responsible for many ills in administration. The principle of seniority in the posting creates numerous problems. Only competent people who practice certain ethical standards and who are confident in the honest performance of their duties should be placed in positions at the highest levels. They can set the tone of the administration under their control. Delays in Administration: Many of the complaints filed under the RTI Act relate to delays especially in finalizing terms of service, etc. Some are intentional delays to promote corruption while for the rest there are problems in procedural practice. Based on the information generated, the government should change procedures that hinder responsive administration, for example privatization of train ticket booking can eliminate delays and intentional corruption. Keep the administrative system active: The Right to Information Act 2005 should keep civil services activated by feedback from people on the information they seek. The information requested by people can also help public officials to ascertain people's satisfaction. Based on these questions posed in the form of information it can help generate administrative reforms and keep the administrative system active. The RTI Act can provide the means to improve: The RTI Act will generate administrative reforms as transfers made with large amounts of money will result in more corruption. So the RTI law can help solve the problems of corruption for transfer and fleecing of common people. It can be successful as long as the public administration and the political elite are in tune to ensure that the government can function efficiently. Most problems can be solved by eliminating administrative bottlenecks. This would also reduce the work of officials involved in implementing the RTI Act. Conclusion Large numbers of people in developing countries, including India, continue to live in extreme poverty. They are still deprived of adequate food, clean water and other basic necessities, despite the massive administrative structure created to guide national development programs. The past decade has seen an increasing concentration of income, resources and wealth among people, companies and countries. This disparity has grown from 30% in 1960 to 74% in 2005. The latest.
tags