Open Access Research Article
RIGHT TO INFORMATION, ARTICLE 19, AND DEMOCRACY: FOSTERING TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Published Paper
Article Details
“RIGHT TO INFORMATION, ARTICLE 19,
AND DEMOCRACY: FOSTERING TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT”
AUTHORED BY - MS. AMBIKA CHATURVEDI
Student of BBA LLB (2021-26)
School of Law, AURO University, Surat
Abstract
India is a federal secular parliamentary democratic republic. It is one
of the largest democracies in the world which became a democratic nation
post-independence in the year 1947. One of the inherent aspects of any
democracy is the citizen's freedom to express their views and the right to get
information relating to the functioning of the government to enhance the
responsiveness and accountability of the functioning of the government.
Accountability and transparency are the two sides of the concept of democracy.
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of the land, the preamble of the constitution
itself ensures the citizens of the country ‘liberty’ which refers to the people
having political views and behavior in the society. The Constitution affirms
Fundamental rights, a set of basic and unalienable rights enshrined under Part
III. Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution of India guarantees all its
citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression[1]. The right to freedom of speech and expression includes the right to
express one's opinions, seek information and ideas, and receive and impart
information. The legislation of the RTI Act, of 2005 is a strong weapon in the
hands of the citizens to ensure transparency in the government and strengthen
democracy. This legislation ensures good governance in the country and gives
the citizens the inherent ability to strengthen participatory democracy. This
research paper studies the impacts of the right to information in relation to
the strengthening of democracy in India.
KEYWORDS: Accountability and Transparency,
Article 19 (1) (a), Democracy, Fundamental rights and Right to Information
Introduction
Recognizing the fundamental
importance of access to information to democratic participation, to holding
governments accountable and to controlling corruption, as well as to personal
dignity and business efficiency, [we declare that] the right to access
information held by public authorities is a fundamental human right which
should be given effect at the national level through comprehensive legislation based
on the principle of maximum disclosure, establishing a presumption that all
information is accessible subject only to a narrow system of exceptions.
Right to Information has gained a
massive amount of importance in current times and is considered to be one of
the strongest weapons in the hands of the citizens of a democratic country such
as India. In the present times, knowledge is the most important resource, and
our Right to know uncovers the veils of secrecy that restrict citizens from
knowing about the working of public authorities. The Right to Information
ensures accountability and transparency of the government's work and also
allows citizens to actively participate in the democratic setup. The right to
know promotes democratic decision-making and enlarges the rights of ordinary
citizens. Fundamental rights enshrined under Part III of the Indian
Constitution are a set of basic and unalienable rights available to all the
citizens of the country. The right to Information subtly forms a part of
fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India. Under Article 21 of
the constitution the ‘Right to life and personal liberty’ includes a range of
construed rights and elements. There are several of them in Article 19 as well.
The Right to know is considered to be a necessary ingredient of participatory
democracy. Over the years the right to know has evolved to become the most
effective means to serve a number of societal interests. Equipped with
information citizens can stand on an equal footing serving the purpose of
accountability and transparency necessary in any democratic setup.
Democracy in material terms requires
the public to act as a self-governing force. Abraham Lincoln in his famous
Gettysburg Address said that “democracy is the government of the people, for
the people and by the people”. This notion can be achieved only by an well-versed
citizenry.[3] The Right to Information Act, 2005
is the legislation that applies to the whole of the country apart from the
State of J&K w.e.f 15th June 2005. It is the culmination of responses
generated for the right to know. The Supreme Court and High Courts from 1997
onwards in several landmark judgments, observed that Articles 19(1) and 21 of the
Constitution of India interpreted the Right to freedom of speech and expression
and the Right to life and liberty to include the Right to Information. The
preamble of the Constitution has been widely recognized as an inevitability by
way of commitment to the conception of an informed populace, to contain
corruption and enhance accountability and openness in how each governmental
authority operates.[4]
Access to true and fair information
held by any public authority was not possible before the coming of this
legislation in the year 2005. Non-accountability for the functioning of the
public authorities and abuse of power was the order of the day. Government
functions when done in confidentiality lead to processes being hidden from the public's
scrutiny, which can lead to oppression and corruption by the government. To
avoid the abuse of the powers of the government Right to know is very
essential. With the coming of the RTI Act of 2005, the purposes of the
development of participatory democracy can very easily be realized. The
legislation ensures the other purposes of good governance, transparency, and
accountability in a country like India.
Advancement and Growth of the Right to Information in India
The right to information has not been
expressly mentioned in any part of the Constitution but has been derived from
Article 19 (1) (a) and Article 21 of the Constitution over the years. Article
19 (1) (a) of the Constitution relates to the most fundamental of all freedoms which
is the freedom of speech and expression, with this right comes the inherent
right to know which has been interpreted from the article. The Right to
information and its recognition as an essential right of a citizen came to the
country in stages starting from conflict in disclosing any information, to
state-level Right to information acts, to a roughly made, protective of public
authorities Freedom of Information Act in 2002 and finally the Act of 2005.[5]
Knowledge is the biggest tool in any
democratic country and seeking knowledge requires information that enables and
empowers people towards exercising their legal, political, economic, and social
rights. Free flow of information and making information accessible is one of
the essentials of any participatory democracy. The Right to Information Bill
was passed by the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh as a significant
step towards anti-corruption which said:
"The passage of the Bill will
serve as the beginning of a new era in our governance processes, an era of
performance and efficiency, benefits of growth will flow to all segments of
society, eliminate the pervasive problem of corruption, and bring the concerns
of the common man to the centre of all governance processes, fulfilling the
hopes of the founding fathers of our Republic."[6]
Corruption, activism, Modernization,
and the Information Society were the factors leading to the enactment of the
Right to Information Act in the year 2005. With the internal factors involved
in the process of enactment of the Legislation in India which evolved within
the country itself, there were external factors that evolved Internationally in
the form of International Legal Instruments. First, was the Adoption of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in the year 1948 which provided everyone
the freedom to access information through any means and without respect to
borders. The second was the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights (ICCPR), which was signed in 1996 and guarantees everyone's right to
freedom of expression and the ability to receive and disseminate information of
any sort.[7]
The Right to Information Act of 2005
The Right to Information Act of 2005
is a welfare legislation that aims to meet the purposes of democracy. The law
was passed by the Parliament on 15th June 2005 which aims to ensure
transparency and accountability. "The Act strives to encourage accountability
and transparency. According to the legislation, public authorities are required
to give citizens the information they request.”[8]
Information includes material of
almost all types and forms including documents, memos, e-mails, circulars, press
releases, orders, contracts, reports, etc. The Act applies to all public
authorities whether owned, controlled, or financed by the Central or the State
government. Every public authority is obliged to publish and disseminate
certain information asked or demanded by any person. The Act also puts into
place a supervising authority in the form of the Central Information Commission
(CIC) and the State Information Commission in every State.
The Objectives enumerated in the Act,
are doubtlessly ideal. Its implementation requires replacing a culture of
official secrecy and control with one of openness and participation. It
requires a “paradigm shift for the governing machinery towards an open
government and open administrative system in the country.”[9] The Act diminishes the Official
Secrets Act of 1889 which was amended in 1923 and various other legislations
that restricted the disclosure of information in India.
The Act mandates that all public
authorities computerize their records for the widespread distribution and
proactively disseminate specific types of information so that citizens have the
fewest options when making formal requests for information including the
particulars of its organization, functions, and duties; powers, and duties of
its officers and employees; procedure followed in the decision-making process;
norms set for discharge of its functions; rules, regulations, instructions,
manuals, and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees
for discharging its functions; etc.[10]
Right to Information (Amendment) Act,
2019: The Right to
Information Act of the year 2005 was amended in the year 2019. With this
amendment in order for the Central Information Commissioners (CICs) and State
Information Commissioners in the States to operate independently and
effectively, their position has been elevated to that of Election Commissioners
and Chief Secretaries, respectively. The amendment gives the federal government
the authority to unilaterally choose the tenure, pay, benefits, and other
conditions of employment for information commissioners both at the federal
level and at the state level. The amendment was criticized since an independent
commission now came under the Central Government. This pulls to pieces the
structure of transparency that was incorporated through the Act of 2005.[11]
The Need for the Right to Information
Reliable and accessible information
is very crucial for all aspects of any transparent and open government,
particularly in times when there exists propagation of fake news and
misinformation. There is an urgent need for reliable facts about government
decisions and actions for public accountability and economic and social
development.[12] In democratic discourse, the freedom
of information has become more and more important. The Right to information
includes two key concepts those are:
·
The
public's right to access information and the government's obligation to comply
with the request;
·
The
duty of the government to proactively provide certain key information, even in
the absence of a request.[13]
The legislation in force which is the
Right to Information Act of 2005 sets a clear framework to place systems and
create cultures of openness in the country. There are certain principles that
govern the Right to Information Act of 2005 such as:
·
The
principle of Maximum Disclosure of all true and fair information that
the public has the right to access in accordance with the law. To ensure a
participatory democracy information shall be made accessible to the people to
allow public scrutiny. This ensures an active involvement of the public in the
working of the government which also ensures good governance in the country.
·
Principle
of Minimum Exemptions that suggests that non-disclosures of the
information shall be minimal to ensure the overall public interest. Exemptions
shall allow the non-disclosure of information that would cause serious harm to
national security, international relations, legitimate law enforcement
activities, or a fair trial, or other accessible information shall not have
exemptions relating to the non-disclosure.
RTI Act aims to create an empowering environment
where citizens and government have two-way communication. It enables the public
to be aware of the functioning of the government which ultimately contributes
to them being involved in devising policies. It correspondingly creates an
open, effective, and transparent government in the country. A better-informed
citizenry is well-equipped to scrutinize and advance the functioning of the
government machinery. According to the Supreme Court, the office of the Chief
Justice of India (CJI) should be transparent and accountable because it is a
public authority under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The judiciary's
transparency was affected by this decision in the case of Central Public
Information Officer, Supreme Court of India v. Subhash Chandra Aggarwal.[14]
The Supreme Court maintained the
public's right to learn about the criminal histories of politicians running for
office, declaring that political parties must make their candidates' criminal
histories public. This ruling attempted to improve political accountability and
openness adjudged in Union of India v. Association for Democratic Reforms.[15]
Constitutional Perspective of the Right to Information
Right to Information plays a vital
role in a country like India, though not directly mentioned as a fundamental
right under Part III of the constitution it is indirectly interpreted as a
fundamental right. The Right to information has been considered a part of Part
III of the constitution under Article 19(1)(a) i.e.; Freedom of speech and
expression, considered the lifeblood of democracy. The protection of any
citizen’s rights and liberties is considered to be one of the paramount duties
of the State. In the
case of Shreya Singhal v. Union of India[16], the Information Technology Act of
2000's Section 66A was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court of India because it
infringed upon the freedom of speech and expression protected by the Indian Constitution.
Parts III and IV of the Indian
Constitution, as well as Articles 23 and 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration
of Human Rights serve as the foundational principles of democracy. In this
regard, the constitutional protections for freedom of speech and expression
include the right to information.[17] In Chairman, Railway Board v.
Chandrima Das[18], the Supreme Court stated that
"the applicability of Universal Declaration of Human Rights and principals
thereof may have to be read, it needs to, into the domestic
jurisprudence." It examines the occasions that hastened the 2005 Act's
approval, giving our nation's citizens a crucial tool to guarantee transparency
in governance. The concept of democracy in India is enshrined in the Preamble
to the Constitution of India wherein opening words provide that “We, the People
of India “and in the end it lays down” give to ourselves this Constitution”.[19]
The direction towards the recognition
of RTI within the constitutional ambit incepted right from the judgement in
Hamdard Dawakhana v. Union of India.[20] RTI was officially considered a
component of Article 19 (1) (a) by the Supreme Court in Bennett Coleman v.
Union of India[21]. The Supreme court in K. v.
Secretary of State for the Home Department Ex. P. Simms,[22] stated that the free flow of
information and ideas serves as a check on the abuse of authority by public
servants and enables the discovery of flaws in the nation's judicial and political
systems of government. The Supreme Court also held in the case of S.P. Gupta v Union of India[23] that the citizens? have right to
know the facts, the true facts about the administration of the country and it
is thus considered one of the pillars of a democratic State.
The right to Information Act of 2005
is a codification of this important fundamental right of freedom of speech and
expression of the citizens. Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras[24] was One of the earliest cases
where the Supreme Court laid emphasis on the people‘s right to know.
There the petitioner had challenged an order issued by the then Government of
Madras under Section 9(1-A) of the Madras Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1949
imposing a ban on the circulation of the petitioner‘s journal Cross Roads was
struck down as violative of the right to freedom of speech and expression under
Article 19(1)(a)[25]
Freedom to receive and disseminate
information is considered to be one of the essential characteristics of the
fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of
the Constitution. A person cannot say to have made a well-informed decision without
having an adequate amount of information. The right to information ensures
access to information in the public interest for every citizen of the country.
Right to Information and Democracy
The Citizen's right to know is
considered to be one of the most important ingredients of participatory
democracy. Good governance in a country is ensured through increased public
participation and the contribution of the citizens in policy formulation. Access
to information has proven to be an effective tool to ensure anti-corruption in
the country. According to the World Bank, corruption can lower a nation's
growth rate by 0.5 to 1.0 percentage points annually. Because they are most
affected by economic hardship, depend on government services, and are least
able to pay the additional costs associated with bribery, fraud, and the theft
of economic advantages, the poor are particularly hard impacted by corruption's
negative impacts.[26]
Right to information is also
considered to be a deterrent as the knowledge that the information will be
available and accessible to the public for scrutiny the public authorities tend
to take a step back from acting corruptly. With access to information, the
citizens get a voice to engage with the activities and actions of the public
authorities. This access to information then makes the public authorities
accountable and answerable to the public for all the loopholes which would
otherwise not have been possible. Democracy in its true essence requires the
public to be the self-governing force, to maintain the essence of democracy the
public has to have the power to make an impact on the functioning of the
government.
Access to information was not
possible before 2005 which led to no participation of the public in the
decision-making processes of the government. This lack of participation of the
public led to corruption. The culture of secrecy enables the Unaccountability
of public officials and transparency in how the government runs which then
leads to abuse of power. In the case of Dinesh Trivedi v. Union of India[27], The Supreme Court emphasized the
value of having access to information. The Court stated: "Democracy
expects openness and openness is concomitant of a free society, and the
sunlight is the best disinfectant." The Supreme Court reiterated its
support for transparent government in participatory democracy in this case as
it considered the issues surrounding the release of the Vohra Committee Report.[28]
The court further observed that in
modern constitutional democracies having the right to know is essential to be
informed on the affairs of the government, which aims to create effective rules
for governance and welfare for the people of the country. Supreme Court in
Reliance Petrochemical Ltd. V. Indian Express Newspapers, Bombay Pvt. Ltd[29] made an informative reflection “that
one must remember that people have the right to know to take part in a
participatory government. The right to information is an inherent right that
shall be available to every citizen of the country to broaden the horizon of
their fundamental right under Article 21.
Through the Right to information,
Citizens will be in a position to examine the justification and effects of
these policies and offer more effective alternatives that are better suited to
their needs when they get Information that is current and accurate regarding
how their government allocates resources and makes policy. Without such access,
it is not possible to hold discussions that would help the public get involved
in the policy formulation processes in the country. Planning for policies,
including monitoring and evaluating programs by those who would be impacted,
has passed into obscurity throughout this time. Every citizen of the nation has
a right to know how their government operates.
The right to information ensures that
public bodies are held accountable for their actions. In general, it is assumed
that anything the government does is done for the benefit of everybody in the
country and to attain the greatest possible return on the resources of the
public that are being invested. The truth, though, is that there have been
several instances of misappropriation, misuse, and irresponsible use of public
investments in recent years. Complete transparency in all public dealings thus
becomes necessary to monitor such situations.
The keystone of a healthy democratic
arch is the existence of enlightened and well-informed citizens. Information is
power, as it empowers people by adding something new to their awareness and expanding
the clarity of their ideas. Thus In a democracy, the right to knowledge is recognized
throughout and stems from the idea of democracy.[30] The right to Information enables
transparency in government actions, if there is no transparency in government
actions people cannot have access to authentic information, and without it, the
purpose of welfare cannot be realized. Access to information provides a
platform for people to participate in governance with accurate knowledge.
In order to promote transparency,
accountability, and openness, it is required that every citizen has the right
to information under the control of public authorities. Every liberal
democratic country is moving towards attaining this concept and our country is
not an exception in the same. This right is essentially a derivative of the
Article 19 of the Constitution. The basic ideology that it holds is that if the
public does not have any information about how the government works we cannot
form a well-versed opinion upon the same.
Freedom of the Press is the
fundamental premise to ensure the circulation of information amongst the
citizenry. Paramount importance is given to the freedom of the press to ensure
that the people's right to know stays intact. Justice Mathews ruled in the case
of State of UP v. Raj Narain[31] saying, There can be very few
secrets in a government of responsibility like ours, where all representatives
of the public must be accountable for their behavior. The citizens of our
nation have a right to know about every public action and all that their public
officials conduct in a public way. They have a right to be informed of every
public transaction's specifics, in all relevant details. When confidentiality
is demanded for transactions that may, at any rate, have no bearing on public
security, one should be suspicious because their right to know, which is
derived from the idea of freedom of speech but is not absolute.[32]
Conclusion
Right to Information Act is a welfare
legislation to enable every citizen of the country to obtain information from
public bodies that thereby ensures transparency in the government and curbing
corruption in the country and openness of government. Right to know is the lifeline
of any democratic country and is also a stepping stone towards an open and
participatory government. It facilitates debates on the matters of the
government and policy formulation that gives the public a role to play in the
governance of the country. The right to know is an inherent part of the
constitutional framework of the country gaining its relevance under Article 19
(1) (a) of the Constitution. It is also a strong and powerful weapon in the
hands of the public to ensure transparency and accountability of the
government. The people's sovereignty serves as the main pillar for requiring
transparency in government. Numerous examples demonstrate the effectiveness of
this right to information as a strategy for enhancing openness and
accountability in governance and lowering corruption.
Not only has the right to information's status
as a fundamental right been recognized throughout the world and by human rights
law, but it also plays a significant role in many other areas of life. In any
democratic setup, the participation of the citizenry is very essential however
this participation tends to become entirely meaningless if there exists no
well-informed citizenry. A well-informed public and information openness are
essential for a democracy's operation, as well as for containing corruption and
holding governments and their agents responsible to the governed. RTI is an
inherent right that must be established in order to guarantee citizens' access
to information under the control of public authorities and to foster
accountability and openness in how each public authority operates. No democracy
can be effective if its citizens are unable to review the actions of the
officials, government employees, and other public servants. People must be
well-informed on government policies, activities, and failures in order to
assess its performance and ensure the strengthening of participatory democracy.
References
·
n.d.
THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION: STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT. (n.d.).
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
·
2005, Constitutional Basis of Right to Information
Act. n.d.
https://intolegalworld.com/article?title=constitutional-basis-of-right-to-information-act-2005.
·
n.d. "Evolution and Development of the Right to
Information Act in India." Legal Service India. https://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-323-evolution-and-development-of-the-right-to-information-act-in-india.html#google_vignette.
·
Khanwalker. 2011. "The Right to Information Act
in India : Its connotations and Implementation." The Indian Journal
of Political Science.
·
Phogat. 2018. "Article 19 (1)(a) of Indian
Constitution and Right to Information Act, 2005." IJCRT Vol.6 Issue
1.
·
2011. "Right to Information Act." The
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences.
·
n.d. "Right to infromation and Right to
Know." Legal Service India.
https://www.legalserviceindia.com/article/l88-Right-To-Information.html. .
·
2019. "RTI Amendment Bill 2019." Drishti
IAS. July 22. https :
//www.drishitiias.com/daily-news-editorials/rti-amendment-bill-2019.
·
Singh. n.d. "Right to Information: The Basic Need
of democracy." Journal on Education & Social Policy.
·
n.d. "The Right to Information Act 2005-
Historical Background and Key Objectives." Adda247.
https://www.adda247.com/upsc-exam/the-right-to-information-act-2005-historical-background-and-key-objectives/.
·
n.d. "The Right to Information Act: A Real step
to ensure Good Governance- Article 19." Legal Service India.
https://www.legalserviceindia.com/articles/iftaa.htm#google_vignette.
·
n.d. "The Right to Information: Strengthening
Democracy and Development." CommonWealth Human Rights Initiative.
·
n.d. "Transparency in the 21st century: the role
of records in achieving public access to information, protecting fundamental
freedoms and monitoring sustainable development." JSTOR.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv14t45v5.16.
[2] THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION:
STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT. (n.d.). Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
[3] Singh., Right to Information:
The Basic Need of Democracy, JOURNAL
OF EDUCATION & SOCIAL POLICY, vol.1(No.2),
https://www.jespnet.com/journals/Vol_1_No_2_December_2014/13.pdf
[4] India, legal Service, “Right to
Know and Right to Information.” Legal Service India. Accessed July 29, 2023.
https://www.legalserviceindia.com/article/l88-Right-To-Information.html.
[5] Evolution and Development of the Right to Information Act in India.
(n.d.). Legal Service India. Retrieved July 30, 2023, from
https://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-323-evolution-and-development-of-the-right-to-information-act-in-india.html#google_vignette
[6] Evolution and Development of the Right to Information Act in India.
(n.d.). Legal Service India. Retrieved July 30, 2023, from
https://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-323-evolution-and-development-of-the-right-to-information-act-in-india.html#google_vignette
[7] The Right to Information Act 2005- Historical Background and Key
Objectives. (2021, November 16). Adda247.
https://www.adda247.com/upsc-exam/the-right-to-information-act-2005-historical-background-and-key-objectives/
[9] Khanwalker. (2011, April). THE RIGHT TO
INFORMATION ACT IN INDIA: ITS CONNOTATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION. The Indian Journal of Political Science,
Vol. 72(No. 2 (April-June,
2011)), 387–393.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/42761423.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default%3Aa814dbfb4c910f240c5788c94d19d505&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&origin=&initiator=search-results&acceptTC=1
[10] Phogat. (2018, January 1).
Article 19 (1)(a) of Indian Constitution and Right to Information Act, 2005. 2018 IJCRT, Vol. 6(Issue 1). https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT1705091.pdf
[11] RTI Amendment Bill 2019. (2019, July 22). Drishti IAS. Retrieved August 10,
2023, from
https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-news-editorials/rti-amendment-bill-2019
[12] Lemieux, V. (2020). Transparency
in the 21st century: the role of records in achieving public access to
information, protecting fundamental freedoms and monitoring sustainable
development. In A. Thurston (Ed.), A
Matter of Trust: Building Integrity into Data, Statistics and Records to
Support the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (pp.
173–188). University of London Press.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv14t45v5.16
[13] THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION:
STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT. (n.d.). Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
[14] Central Public Information
Officer, Supreme Court of India v. Subhash Chandra Aggarwal, (LPA 501 of 2009).
[15] Union of India v. Association
for Democratic Reforms, (2002 AIR 2112).
[16] Shreya Singhal v. Union of
India, AIR 2015 SC 1523.
[17] Singh. (2014, December). Right
to Information: The Basic Need of Democracy. Journal of Education & Social Policy, vol.1 (No.2).
https://www.jespnet.com/journals/Vol_1_No_2_December_2014/13.pdf
[18] Chairman Railway Board vs. Mrs. Chandrima Das Civil Appeal No. 639, of
2000.
[19] The Constitution of India, 1950
[25] WORLD, I. L. (2018, July 28). CONSTITUTIONAL BASIS OF RIGHT TO INFORMATION
ACT 2005 | Into Legal World. CONSTITUTIONAL BASIS OF RIGHT TO
INFORMATION ACT 2005 | Into Legal World.
https://intolegalworld.com/article?title=constitutional-basis-of-right-to-information-act-2005
[26]THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION:
STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT. (n.d.). Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
[28] Singh. (2014, December). Right
to Information: The Basic Need of Democracy. Journal of Education & Social Policy, vol.1(No.2).
https://www.jespnet.com/journals/Vol_1_No_2_December_2014/13.pdf
[29] Reliance Petrochemical Ltd. V.
Indian Express Newspapers, Bombay Pvt. Ltd, AIR (1989) 190, (1988) SCR Supl.(3)
212
[30] Khanwalker. (2011, April). THE
RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT IN INDIA: ITS CONNOTATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION. The Indian Journal of Political Science,
Vol. 72(No. 2 (April-June,
2011)), 387–393.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/42761423.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default%3Aa814dbfb4c910f240c5788c94d19d505&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&origin=&initiator=search-results&acceptTC=1
[32] India, L. S. (n.d.). The Right To Information Act: A Real Step To
Ensure Good Governance - Article 19. The Right to Information Act: A
Real Step to Ensure Good Governance - Article 19.
https://www.legalserviceindia.com/articles/iftaa.htm#google_vignette
Article Information
RIGHT TO INFORMATION, ARTICLE 19, AND DEMOCRACY: FOSTERING TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Authors: MS. AMBIKA CHATURVEDI
- Journal IJLRA
- ISSN 2582-6433
- Published 2025/03/12
- Issue 7
About Journal
International Journal for Legal Research and Analysis
- Abbreviation IJLRA
- ISSN 2582-6433
- Access Open Access
- License CC 4.0
All research articles published in International Journal for Legal Research and Analysis are open access and available to read, download and share, subject to proper citation of the original work.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of International Journal for Legal Research and Analysis.