Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, any citizen of India can ask a public authority (government offices, departments and bodies funded by the government) for information held by it.
Information that can be obtained includes:
- Records, documents, files, file notings and memos.
- Government orders, circulars, rules, reports, contracts and agreements.
- Information about the use of public funds: budgets, expenditure, work estimates and tenders.
- Status of an application or complaint you have filed (for example, a ration card, passport or scholarship application).
- Details of development works in your area (roads, schools, water supply) and of government schemes and their beneficiaries.
- E-mails, logbooks, samples, models and data held in electronic form.
The application is made to the Public Information Officer of the office, and the information normally has to be given within 30 days. Some information is exempt, for example matters affecting national security and sovereignty, and personal information that has no relation to public interest.