RIGHT TO INFORMATION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE

INTRODUCTION
Meaningful substantive democracy ought to be founded on the notion of an informed public
adequately equipped to participate thoughtfully and actively in the governance of the country. If
transparency and accountability are the imperatives for sustaining democratic governance, access
to information is a vital instrument of societal transformation and the Right to Information Act,
2005 helps in achieving the same. Besides, apart from ensuring greater transparency it also acts as a
deterrent against the arbitrary exercise of public powers. The governance is, therefore, undoubtedly
strengthened by the RTI.
The RTI Act has brewed a quiet social revolution and played a vital role in the governance of
the country. RTI users and activists in practically every nook and corner of the country are asking
questions on varied subjects. The Act has produced a better impact on the quality of the life of the
poor and marginalized. During the past five years, the Act has brought positive changes in the levels
of corruption and accountability. Students appearing for competitive and board examinations who
were not convinced with their mark sheets have demanded original
answer sheets under RTI and most have received them, these are the few examples where with the
help of RTI the implementation of law has reached till the grass root levels.