Right To Information Is Fundamental To Strengthen The Democracy; Does Government Escalate The Right Successfully?
Adv. Yusra Jameel, B.A.LL.B., LL.M., Aligarh Muslim University
Adv. Alisha Chauhan, B.A.LL.B., LL.M., Aligarh Muslim University
“A Government which functions in secrecy not only acts against democratic decency but also buries itself with its own burial” – Justice Krishna Iyer
ABSTRACT:
Access to information regarding public matters is the right of every citizen in a democratic country. It is necessary for empowered citizen and a comprehensive society. India is a democratic country and one of the most important attributes of democracy is the procedural transparency. Right to know about the actions of the public authorities is the spirit of democracy. In order to bring transparency and accountability in the system the Right to Information Act was passed and became operative from 12th October 2005.RTI is the tool of general public. This Act is considered as one of the most successful and empowering Act of Independent India by which the concept of Good governance was introduced. Good governance means and include the effective and efficient working of the government authorities in order to achieve pre-established goals of the society. This legislation was an exemplary piece however It has not been able to accomplish its goals fully due to various obstacles brought forth by persistent mistakes. Unnecessary amendments were made. The amendment Act of 2019 was a direct attack on the spirit of the Act and hence was made to dilute the implications. The government has also not imparted any conclusive reason for the amendment. This paper shed light upon the present status and the effect of Right to Information Act. Attempt has also been made to ascertain the impact of the amendment. This paper shall consist of 2 parts. First part shall deal with the constitutional and judicial approach of the same. How the Act came into existence and what made the government to bring a codified law in that regard after 55 years of independence? Was the Act really an exemplary piece of legislation? What major changes has the law brought to protect the spirit of democracy? The second part of the Paper shall focus upon the challenges faced by the RTI activists. How the amendment Act of 2019 weakens the whole law? The concluding part shall provide certain recommendations for fruitful working of the RTI Act. Researchers point out that the Right to Information Act has not completely achieved its objectives due to a number of challenges brought about by recurrent errors. Without a doubt, the act was a great move and a step toward the government's accountability and transparency, although no legislation may be deemed flawless but the purpose of adoption is serve to improve the lot of its citizens and for the betterment of people. In this paper researchers also mention the challenges faced by the government officials.
