Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer by introducing RTI act.
• Discuss the ethical implications and utility of RTI act.
• Conclude accordingly.

Introduction

• The Right to Information Act, 2005 mandates timely response to citizen requests for government information.
• The basicorruption andthe Right to Information Act is to empower the citizens, promote transparency and accountability in the working of the Government, contain corruption, and make our democracy work for the people in a real sense.

Ethical Implications of RTI

• RTI act vs Right to Privacy:
  • The Right to Information and the Right to Privacy can be in conflict when personal information is sought to be disclosed.
  • Government collects information from the citizens for different purposes like for tax evaluation, Identification Proofs, now, if any citizen or private organisation files for access to the records, then it can be in contradiction with citizens' right to Privacy if right to Information is followed.
• RTI act vs Official Secrets act,1923:
  • The right to access sensitive information is another ethical implication of RTI. National security and public safety can be threatened by the public disclosure of classified information. Balancing the right to information with the need for confidentiality is crucial to ensure public safety.
  • Whenever there is a conflict between the two laws, the provisions of the RTI Act override those of the OSA.

Utility of RTI

• RTI promotes good governance and social justice by empowering citizens to hold public authorities accountable.
• Transparency and accountability are encouraged, and corruption can be combated through the act. It also improves decision making by public authority by removing unnecessary secrecy.
• Access to information can empower the poor and the weaker sections of society to demand and get information about public policies and actions, thereby leading to their welfare.
• Successful cases of exposing corruption and malpractices in government institutions have been reported.
  • For instance, RTI played an important role in uncovering scams like 2G spectrum and commonwealth scam.

Conclusion

• The Right to Information Act is key to people centric governance. While there are ethical implications associated with it, the act promotes good governance and social justice.
• When the question of harmonising the contradicting rights arises, it should give justice to the larger public interest and advance public morality.
• Similarly, in case of RTI act’s conflict with Official secrets act, proactive disclosure should be followed but not at the cost of national security and interests.