The Government of India, in order to ensure greater and more effective access to the information to the citizens has enacted Right to Information Act, 2005. The main objective of the Act is to provide right to information and to secure access to information under the control of the Public Authorities to the citizens in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of Public Authority. The Act provides, under Sections 8 and 9, certain categories of information that are exempt from disclosure to the citizens. The public may also refer to the relative sections of the Act before submitting a request for information.
The right to information includes an access to the information which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to inspect the work, document, records, taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents / records and certified samples of the materials and obtaining information which is also stored in electronic form.
Any citizen can request for information by making an application in writing or through electronic means in English / Hindi / official language of the areas, in which the application is being made together with the prescribed fees, to the concerned Public Information Officer.