Right to Information Act, 2005 Definitions, Right to information

Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) is a landmark piece of legislation in India that aims to promote transparency and accountability in the workings of the government by securing the right to information for citizens. The Act covers the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir, where J&K Right to Information Act is applicable.

Definitions under the RTI Act, 2005:

• Information (Section 2(f)):

Information means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.

• Right to Information (Section 2(j)):

Right to information accessible under this Act which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to inspection of work, documents, records; taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records; taking certified samples of material; obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is stored in a computer or in any other device.

• Public Authority (Section 2(h)):

Public authority means any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted—

a) by or under the Constitution;

b) by any other law made by Parliament;

c) by any other law made by State Legislature;

d) by notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government,

and includes any—

i) body owned, controlled or substantially financed;

ii) non-Government organization substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the Government.

• Record (Section 2(i)):

Record includes—

a) any document, manuscript and file;

b) any microfilm, microfiche and facsimile copy of a document;

c) any reproduction of image or images embodied in such microfilm (whether enlarged or not);

d) any other material produced by a computer or any other device.

• Central Public Information Officer (Section 2(c)):

Central Public Information Officer means the Central Public Information Officers designated by the public authorities and State Public Information Officers in the states, responsible for giving information to a person requesting information under this Act.

• Third Party (Section 2(n)):

Third party means a person other than the citizen making a request for information and includes a public authority.

7. Competent Authority (Section 2(e)):

Competent authority refers to:

• The Speaker in the case of the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of a State or a Union territory having such Assembly and the Chairman in the case of the Council of States or Legislative Council of a State;
• The Chief Justice of India in the case of the Supreme Court;
• The Chief Justice of the High Court in the case of a High Court;
• The President or the Governor, as the case may be, in the case of other authorities established or constituted by or under the Constitution;
• The administrator appointed under Article 239 of the Constitution.

8. Information Commission (Section 2(f)):

Information Commission refers to the Central Information Commission or a State Information Commission.

9. Central Information Commission (Section 12):

The Central Information Commission is constituted by the Central Government through an official Gazette notification. It includes one Chief Information Commissioner and not more than ten Information Commissioners as may be deemed necessary.

• State Information Commission (Section 15):

The State Information Commission is constituted by the State Government through an official Gazette notification. It includes one State Chief Information Commissioner and not more than ten State Information Commissioners as may be deemed necessary.

• Appeal (Section 2(a)):

Appeal refers to any application submitted to an officer who is senior in rank to the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, seeking a review of the decision made by the CPIO or SPIO.