Q6Indian Constitution
Question
Q.6. [CO2] (K2) What is RTI and how does it work?
Answer
RTI (Right to Information) is a citizen's statutory right under the RTI Act 2005 to request and receive information from public authorities, promoting transparency and accountability in government functioning.
The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 empowers every citizen of India to request information from any 'public authority' (government body), which is legally obligated to reply within 30 days. A citizen files a written or online application to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the concerned department, along with a nominal fee; if unsatisfied or if no response is received, the applicant can file a first appeal with a senior officer and a second appeal with the Central/State Information Commission. RTI has become a powerful tool for promoting transparency, curbing corruption, and holding public officials accountable.