The Right to Information Act raised the promise of a true participatory democracy with empowered citizens. It also raised the hope of citizens being treated with respect and dignity by the public servants.


A unique provision for penalizing public officials who did not provide information to the citizens within 30 days gave the law its teeth. It exempted only specific categories of information and recognized the sovereignty of the individual citizen and his/her ownership of government by mandating that a citizen needed to give no reasons for seeking information.


It is one of the best transparency laws in the world which can bring accountability in governance and reduce corruption. Citizens started using the law with great enthusiasm and also teaching and facilitating others. 

Read RTI activist Shailesh Gandhi's piece here.