The Right to Information Act, 2005

The Right to Information Act, 2005 was enacted to provide citizens with the right to access information held by public authorities. The Act requires public authorities to disclose information that is requested by citizens, subject to certain exemptions. The Act mandates that public authorities maintain records, publish certain types of information, and appoint Public Information Officers (PIOs) to provide information to citizens. The Act also establishes the Central Information Commission (CIC) and State Information Commissions (SICs) to handle complaints and appeals related to information requests. The Act is applicable to all states and union territories of India, except Jammu and Kashmir.