In a democracy, people are not just voters — they are the real owners of the government. Every policy, every scheme, and every rupee spent from the public fund is ultimately meant to serve the people. But what happens when citizens are kept in the dark? What if they don’t know how government decisions are made, who took them, or how public money is being used?
This lack of access to information can breed silence, fear, injustice, and even exploitation. When people are unaware of their rights, they cannot ask for what is due to them. When they are unaware of how decisions are made, they cannot question or correct those decisions. Over time, this silence allows corruption, inefficiency, and apathy to grow.
Information is not just about data on paper — it is empowerment. It helps a farmer understand why his subsidy hasn’t reached him, or a student find out why her scholarship is delayed. It allows a common person to know whether a road that was promised is actually being built or whether the funds were siphoned off. It builds a bridge between the governed and the governing.
The Right to Information (RTI) is a legal recognition of this truth: that in a democracy, the people have the right to know. Knowing is not a luxury — it is a necessity. It is the foundation of accountability, participation, and trust.
The RTI Act, passed in 2005, was a historic moment for India. For the first time, ordinary citizens were given the power to ask questions not just during elections, but every day. And government departments were legally required to answer.
In a country as large, complex, and diverse as India, RTI is more than a law — it’s a democratic lifeline. It gives voice to the voiceless, brings the government closer to the people, and reminds every public official that they are answerable to the very people they serve.
The Roots of RTI: A People’s Movement
The Right to Information in India didn’t emerge overnight. It wasn’t a law designed in government chambers and handed down to the people. Instead, it rose from the ground up — from villages, farms, and construction sites where people were being denied basic entitlements and wanted to know why.
One of the earliest sparks came from Rajasthan in the early 1990s. Labourers who worked on government projects were not being paid. Suspicious, they asked: “How much money was sanctioned? Where did it go?” These questions, led by the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), planted the seed for something big. People realised that without access to official documents — wage registers, project bills — they had no proof and no power.
Their demand was simple but revolutionary: “Hum jaanenge, hum jeeyenge” (“We will know, we will live”). It wasn’t just about wages; it was about dignity and fairness. This movement soon spread to other states. Tamil Nadu and Goa passed state-level RTI laws in the late 1990s. Eventually, national discussions followed, and the idea gained momentum.
In 2005, the Indian Parliament passed the Right to Information Act, recognising the citizen’s right to question the state. It was a rare moment when the voice of rural India reshaped national law and the relationship between the government and the governed changed forever.
How RTI Works: Simple, Powerful, Accessible
One of the greatest strengths of the RTI Act is its simplicity. You don’t need to be a lawyer or a bureaucrat to use it. A student, a daily wage worker, or a homemaker — anyone can write an RTI request.
Here’s how it works in practice:
Any citizen can file an application with a Public Information Officer (PIO) in any government office — be it the local panchayat, a university, a police station, or a central ministry.
The question should be clear and focused. For example: “Please provide a copy of the budget allocated and spent on the local school in the year 2023–24.”
You pay a small fee — just ₹10 — and the office is required to reply within 30 days.
If the matter concerns someone’s life or liberty (such as a wrongful arrest), the reply must come within 48 hours.
If your request is ignored or denied unfairly, you can file an appeal. If needed, you can approach the State or Central Information Commission, which acts like a watchdog ensuring government departments comply with the law.
In some states and central departments, RTI can even be filed online, making it even more accessible.
What makes RTI unique is that you don’t need to prove why you want the information. Your right to ask is enough. This is what makes it truly empowering.
What Citizens Can Ask
The RTI Act allows citizens to seek information on a wide range of public matters. This can include:
Government schemes – like why pensions are delayed or how many houses were built under PMAY.
Public funds – how much money was allocated for a road, school, or drainage project.
Recruitment and appointments – like what criteria were used to select candidates for a job.
Action taken on complaints – such as whether a complaint to a government office was resolved.
You can even ask for certified copies of documents, files, reports, inspection notes, and correspondence.
However, there are reasonable restrictions:
You can’t ask for private information about others (like their bank account or medical records), unless it serves a larger public interest.
Information that could endanger national security or disrupt diplomatic relations is exempt.
The law also doesn’t require the government to create new information or answer hypotheticals. It only provides what is already available in records.
Still, even within these boundaries, the range of questions one can ask is vast and powerful.
How RTI Has Changed Lives
Since its implementation, the RTI Act has transformed the way government accountability works in India. It has brought hope and justice to people who earlier felt helpless in the face of red tape.
Here are some powerful ways it has made an impact:
In rural areas, people have used RTI to find out why their names were missing from beneficiary lists.
Parents have used RTI to investigate mid day meal schemes, uncovering irregularities in schools.
In cities, activists have exposed overpricing and corruption in public works using simple RTI queries.
Journalists have relied on RTI to reveal major scams, from the Commonwealth Games to misuse of public funds.
Even in personal matters, people have used RTI to track down lost documents or pending applications.
Most importantly, RTI has changed the culture. Government offices that earlier operated behind closed doors now think twice before denying a citizen. Officials are more cautious, and many departments have started proactively publishing key information online, reducing the need for formal RTIs.
It’s not just about exposing the wrong — it’s also about restoring trust in the system.
Challenges in the Path
Despite its achievements, RTI in India faces serious obstacles.
Delay: Many departments do not reply within 30 days, or provide vague and evasive answers. This forces people into lengthy appeal processes.
Backlogs: Information Commissions are facing growing backlogs. Some appeals take months or even years to be heard, weakening the law’s purpose.
Threats to Activists: More than 90 RTI activists have been killed since 2005, and many more face threats and harassment. These attacks often come from those whose corruption or misconduct is exposed.
2019 Amendment: The RTI Amendment Act of 2019 gave the central government power to decide the tenure and salaries of Information Commissioners. Many experts and civil society groups warned this would compromise the Commission’s independence.
Lack of Awareness: Many citizens, especially in tribal and remote regions, still don’t know their rights under RTI or how to file a request. In some cases, they are even discouraged by local officials.
RTI and the Constitution
The Right to Information is not just a statutory right — it’s rooted in the Indian Constitution. The Supreme Court, in several judgments, has stated that the right to know is part of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a).
In the historic Raj Narain case (1975), the Court ruled that people have the right to know how the government is functioning because they are the ones who ultimately fund and sustain it.
Over time, courts have consistently defended the citizen’s right to seek information. They’ve recognised that without knowledge, people cannot make informed choices, participate meaningfully in governance, or hold power to account.
Thus, RTI is not just a law — it is a reflection of constitutional values of transparency, justice, and accountability.
How We Can Strengthen RTI
If we want RTI to remain strong and effective in the future, several steps must be taken:
Speed up appointments in Information Commissions, especially at the state level.
Enforce penalties on officers who delay or deny information without reason.
Launch awareness campaigns, particularly in local languages, to educate people on how to use RTI.
Encourage digital transparency by pushing departments to publish data proactively.
Strengthen whistleblower protections so that those who use RTI are safe from threats or retaliation.
Include RTI in school curricula, so the next generation grows up knowing how to ask questions and participate in democracy.
The RTI Act is only as strong as the people who use it. A culture of transparency requires more than just a legal framework — it requires citizen engagement and political will.
Conclusion
Asking questions is a right, not a crime…
The Right to Information Act was a turning point in India’s democratic journey. It reminded both citizens and governments that transparency is not optional — it is essential.
Every time a citizen files an RTI, they’re not just seeking a document — they’re asserting their dignity. They’re saying, “I have the right to know. I have the right to be heard. I have the right to hold power accountable.”
RTI is more than a tool — it is a quiet revolution. And like all revolutions, it must be protected, nurtured, and passed on to the next generation.
References:
Government of India. (2005). The Right to Information Act, 2005. Ministry of Law and Justice. https://rti.gov.in
Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan. (n.d.). History of the RTI movement. https://mkssindia.org/rti/
Supreme Court of India. (1975). State of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj Narain, AIR 1975 SC 865.
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. (2013). A guide to using the Right to Information Act. https://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/programs/ai/rti/india/
Banisar, D. (2006). Freedom of Information Around the World: A Global Survey of Access to Government Information Laws. Privacy International. https://www.privacy.org/pi/foi/foi_2006.pdf
Roberts, A. (2010). A great and revolutionary law? The first four years of India’s Right to Information Act. Public Administration Review, 70(6), 925–933. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540 6210.2010.02224.x
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2011). Fighting corruption with information: The role of RTI in India. https://www.undp.org
Central Information Commission. (2023). Annual Report 2022–2023. Government of India. https://cic.gov.in/annual reports
Human Rights Watch. (2019). RTI Activists under Threat in India. https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/10/17/india rti activists risk
Sharma, D. (2020). The dilution of India’s RTI Act: A blow to transparency. Economic and Political Weekly, 55(7), 12–15. https://www.epw.in/
Award-Winning Article Written By: Dr.Sangeetha Bandlamudi
I am a passionate legal academician and researcher holding both a Ph.D. and a degree in Law. With a strong foundation in constitutional and cyber law, my work bridges the gap between legal theory and its real world applications. I am committed to promoting legal literacy, social justice, and evidence based policy advocacy. My academic journey has empowered me to mentor young legal minds, contribute to national discourse, and pursue interdisciplinary research that strengthens the rule of law in India. I believe in law as a transformative tool for inclusion, equity, and empowerment, especially for women and marginalized communities.
