Chapters of Right to Information Act 2005

The Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) of India was enacted to promote transparency and accountability in the functioning of public authorities. It provides a framework for citizens to access information under the control of public authorities. The Act is divided into 6 chapters with 31 sections. Below is a breakdown of the chapters of the RTI Act, 2005:

Chapter 1: Preliminary (Section 1 – Section 2)

• Section 1: Short title, extent, and commencement.
• Section 2: Definitions.
  • This section defines key terms like “information,” “public authority,” and “right to information.”

Chapter 2: Right to Information and Obligation of Public Authorities (Section 3 – Section 7)

• Section 3: Right to information.
  • Provides that every citizen shall have the right to request information from a public authority.
• Section 4: Obligations of public authorities.
  • Requires public authorities to maintain records, publish information, and make proactive disclosures to promote transparency.
• Section 5: Designation of Public Information Officers (PIOs).
  • Specifies the need for appointing PIOs who will handle information requests.
• Section 6: Request for information.
  • Details how citizens can make requests for information to public authorities.
• Section 7: Disposal of requests.
  • Specifies time limits for responding to RTI requests (usually within 30 days).

Chapter 3: Central Information Commission (Section 8 – Section 11)

• Section 8: Exemption from disclosure of information.
  • Lists categories of information that are exempt from disclosure, such as national security and personal privacy.
• Section 9: Procedure to be followed by Central Information Commission (CIC).
• Section 10: Power to require production of documents.
  • Specifies powers of the CIC to summon and enforce the production of records.
• Section 11: Third-party information.
  • Outlines the process for handling third-party information and obtaining consent before disclosing it.

Chapter 4: State Information Commission (Section 12 – Section 14)

• Section 12: Constitution of the State Information Commission.
  • This section provides for the creation of State Information Commissions.
• Section 13: Appointment of State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) and Information Commissioners.
  • Details the appointment process and tenure of information commissioners.
• Section 14: Term of office.
  • Specifies the tenure of the Information Commissioners and the process of their removal.

Chapter 5: Appeal and Penalties (Section 15 – Section 19)

• Section 15: Appeal to State Information Commission.
  • Describes the process for appealing to the State Information Commission if the request is denied.
• Section 16: Appeal to Central Information Commission.
  • Similar to Section 15 but for appeals to the Central Information Commission.
• Section 17: Penalties.
  • Specifies penalties for officials who fail to comply with the RTI Act.

Chapter 6: Miscellaneous (Section 20 – Section 31)

• Section 20: Penalties for non-compliance.
  • Provides details about the penalties imposed on public officials for not providing information or delaying it.
• Section 21: Protection of action taken in good faith.
  • Protects public servants acting in good faith while performing their duties under the RTI Act.
• Section 22: Act to override other laws.
  • The provisions of the RTI Act override any other conflicting laws.
• Section 23: Bar of jurisdiction.
  • States that the jurisdiction of courts is barred regarding the matters under this Act.
• Section 24: Act not to apply to certain organizations.
  • Lists specific organizations (like intelligence agencies) to which the Act does not apply.
• Section 25: Powers and functions of Information Commissions.
  • Specifies the powers and duties of the Central and State Information Commissions.
• Section 26: Annual reports.
  • Requires annual reports from the Central and State Information Commissions to be laid before Parliament and State Legislatures.
• Section 27: Power to make rules.
  • Grants the government the power to make rules to carry out the provisions of the Act.
• Section 28: Power to make regulations.
  • Allows Information Commissions to make regulations for the implementation of the Act.
• Section 29: Laying of rules and regulations.
  • States the process of laying down the rules and regulations before Parliament.
• Section 30: Repeal and saving.
  • Repeals the earlier Freedom of Information Act, 2002, but saves the actions taken under it.
• Section 31: Transitional provisions.
  • Provides transitional provisions for the establishment of the Information Commissions.