Right to information
Also called: RTI
The right of every citizen to information held by or under the control of a public authority, including inspection, notes, certified copies, samples and electronic copies (Section 2(j), RTI Act, 2005).
Explained
Section 2(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 defines the right to information as the right to information accessible under the Act which is held by or under the control of any public authority. It includes the right to inspect work, documents and records; to take notes, extracts or certified copies; to take certified samples of material; and to obtain information in electronic form, such as diskettes or printouts, where it is stored in a computer or other device. Section 3 confers the right on all citizens, and Section 2(f) gives "information" a wide meaning that extends to records, e-mails, opinions, advices, logbooks, contracts, samples, models and electronic data.
The procedure is simple. Under Section 6 a request is made in writing or by electronic means to the Public Information Officer of the public authority with the prescribed fee, and under Section 6(2) the applicant need not give any reason or any personal details other than those needed to contact him. Under Section 7(1) information must be provided within thirty days, or within forty eight hours where it concerns the life or liberty of a person. A first appeal lies under Section 19 to an officer senior in rank to the Public Information Officer within thirty days, and a second appeal lies to the Central or State Information Commission.
The right is not absolute. Section 8(1) lists exemptions, such as information affecting sovereignty, integrity and security, information forbidden by a court, cabinet papers and, after the substitution made by Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, information which relates to personal information. Under Section 8(2) a public authority may still allow access where public interest in disclosure outweighs harm to protected interests. Under Section 8(3), information about an event that occurred twenty years before the request must be provided, subject to clauses (a), (c) and (i) of Section 8(1).
The statutory right builds on the constitutional one: the Supreme Court has long treated the right to know as part of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), beginning with State of U.P. v. Raj Narain (1975). Examiners test the time limits, the no reasons rule, the twenty year rule and the exemptions.
What the law says
(j) “right to information” means the right to information accessible under this Act which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to—
(i) inspection of work, documents, records;
(ii) taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records;
(iii) taking certified samples of material;
(iv) obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is stored in a computer or in any other device;
Section 2(j) and 2(f): right to information and information
Subject to the provisions of this Act, all citizens shall have the right to information.
Right conferred on all citizens
specifying the particulars of the information sought by him or her:
Provided that where such request cannot be made in writing, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall render all reasonable assistance to the person making the request orally to reduce the same in writing.
(2) An applicant making request for information shall not be required to give any reason for requesting the information or any other personal details except those that may be necessary for contacting him.
Request procedure; no reasons required
(b) information concerning his or her right with respect to review the decision as to the amount of fees charged or the form of access provided, including the particulars of the appellate authority, time limit, process and any other forms. (4) Where access to the record or a part thereof is required to be provided under this Act and the person to whom access is to be provided is sensorily disabled, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall provide assistance to enable access to the information, including providing such assistance as may be appropriate for the inspection.
(5) Where access to information is to be provided in the printed or in any electronic format, the applicant shall, subject to the provisions of sub-section (6), pay such fee as may be prescribed:
Provided that the fee prescribed under sub-section (1) of section 6 and sub-sections (1) and (5) of section 7 shall be reasonable and no such fee shall be charged from the persons who are of below poverty line as may be determined by the appropriate Government.
Time limits for disposal
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen,—
(a) information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence;
(b) information which has been expressly forbidden to be published by any court of law or tribunal or the disclosure of which may constitute contempt of court;
Exemptions, public interest override, twenty year rule
(i) by providing access to information, if so requested, in a particular form;
(ii) by appointing a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be;
(iii) by publishing certain information or categories of information;
First and second appeals
For the exam
- Section 2(j): includes inspection, notes, certified copies, samples and electronic copies.
- Only citizens hold the right (Section 3).
- Thirty days to respond; forty eight hours where life or liberty is involved (Section 7(1)).
- No reason need be given for a request (Section 6(2)).
- Twenty year old information must be given, save under clauses (a), (c) and (i) of Section 8(1).
61 questions in the Law Maker question bank use this term. Practise Administrative Law questions
Related terms
- Public authorityUnder Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, a body set up by the Constitution, a law or a government notification, including bodies owned, controlled or substantially financed by government.
- InformationUnder Section 2(1)(v) of the IT Act, 2000, information includes data, message, text, images, sound, voice, codes, computer programmes, software, databases, micro film and computer generated micro fiche.
- Personal dataAny data about an individual who is identifiable by or in relation to such data. Section 2(t) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
- The State (Article 12)For Part III of the Constitution, the Government and Parliament of India, the Government and Legislature of each State, and all local or other authorities in India or under the control of the Government of India.
Further reading
Checked 6 November 2026. Statutory text is quoted from the Bare Acts library, taken from India Code. See the full glossary.