Right to Information Act, 2005

The Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) is a law passed by the Parliament of India to ensure transparency and accountability in governance. This Act empowers every Indian citizen to access information held by government institutions.

Main Objectives

Ensuring Transparency

To make the functioning of government systems transparent before the public.

Eradication of Corruption

To prevent corruption by enabling citizens to know about administrative activities.

Public Participation

To empower people and encourage greater participation in the democratic process.

Accountability

To make government officials more accountable to the public. 

Application and Time Limits

To whom should the application be submitted?

Applications can be submitted to the Public Information Officers (PIOs) of each office.

Fee Structure

The standard application fee is Rs. 10. Persons Below Poverty Line (BPL) are completely exempted from paying the fee.

Time Limit for Reply

• General cases: Within 30 days

• If submitted through Assistant PIO: Within 35 days

• In matters concerning life and liberty: Within 48 hours

Appeal Mechanism

If information is not provided or if the information provided is incorrect, an appeal can be filed.

First Appeal

The first appeal should be submitted to the higher authority in the same office within 30 days from the expiry of the response period or from the receipt of the reply.

Second Appeal

If the issue is not resolved in the first appeal, a second appeal can be filed before the State/Central Information Commission within 90 days.

Exempted Information (Section 8)

The following information is exempted from disclosure in the interest of national security:

• Matters affecting the security, sovereignty, and strategic interests of the country.

• Information expressly forbidden by courts.

• Confidential information received from foreign governments.

• Information that may endanger the life or physical safety of individuals.

Penalty Provisions

The Act provides for a penalty of Rs. 250 per day, up to a maximum of Rs. 25,000, on officials who, without valid reason, refuse to provide information or reject applications.

Details of Responsible Officers in Varappetty Grama Panchayat