Ravishankar Mor

Right to Information in India: a Fundamental Right Ravishankar Mor

Even prior to enactment of Legislation Securing Freedom of information, the Supreme Court by a liberal interpretation deduced the right to know and access information on the reasoning that concept of an open government is the direct result from right to know which is implicit in the right of Free Speech and expression guaranteed under article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its 38th report recommended that Government should take measures for enactment of such legislation. In order to make the government more transparent and accountable to public the government of India appointed a working group of right to information and promotion of open of transparent government? held on 24th May 1997. The working group submitted draft a freedom to information bill to the government and also recommended suitable amendments to Civil Services (conduct) Rules with a view to bring them in harmony with the personal Bill. The government of India considered the draft Bill and subsequently the Freedom to Information act, 2002 was enacted which received as-send of the president on 6-1-2003. Accordingly the Right to Information Act, 2005 was enacted.