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Unit – 64 : The Right to Information Act, 2005
The Right to Information Act, 2005 was enacted with intent to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.
This Act extends to whole of India except the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
Central Government is the appropriate authority if the concerned public authority is established, constituted, owned, controlled or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly by that Government or the Union Territory Administration.
It is the State Government, if the concerned public authority is established, constituted, owned,
controlled or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly by that Government.
'Central Information Commission' means the Central Information Commission constituted by the Central Government.
'Central Public Information Officer' means the Central Public Information Officer designated by the public authority and includes a Central Assistant Public Information Officer.
'Information' means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, emails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any law for the time being in force.
'Public authority' means any authority or body or institution of self Government established:
(a) by or under the Constitution;
(b) by any other law made by Parliament;
(c) by any other law made by the State Legislature;
(d) by notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government and includes any
(i) body owned, controlled or substantially financed;
(ii) non-Government organisation substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided
by the appropriate Government.
'Right to information' has been defined in an inclusive manner. It 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 computers or in other device.
'State Information Commission' means the State Information Commission constituted by the State Government under this Act.
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