Right to Information: Implementing Information Regime,
Authors Press, New Delhi:2006.

               Information is indispensable for the functioning of a true democracy. It is the currency that every citizen requires to participate in the life and governance of society. The greater the access of the citizen to information, the greater would be the responsiveness of government to community needs. Without information, people cannot adequately exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens or make informed choices. In this age of information, the value of right to information as a critical factor in socio-cultural, economic and political development is being increasingly felt.

                The right to information has been recongnised as a fundamental human right, intimately linked to respect for the inherent dignity of all human beings. It is also essential for accountability and good governance. It is also a crucial underpinning of participatory democracy for without information one cannot possibly make informed electoral choices or participate in decision-making processes. No government can now deny that the public has a right to information or that fundamental principles of democracy and accountability demand that public bodies operate transparently.

               Today, there is an exciting global movement towards recognition of the right to information by states, intergovernmental organisations, civil society and the people. There is a growing body of authoritative statements supporting the right to information, made in the context of official human rights mechanisms, including at the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the Organisation of American States and the Council of Europe. Many inter-governmental organisations now have in place information disclosure systems which are reviewed ad updated on a regular basis.

                In India, the right to information has been developed through diverse strands for almost that entire period of the country’s independent history. After decades of hectic lobbying, the efforts of civil society for entrenching the right to information in India were finally rewarded on 12 October 2005 with implementation of the Right to Information Act, 2005. the Act is a landmark piece of legislation and is a major step towards a more accountable and transparent government.

                This book attempts to outline the significance of the right to information and its role in creating a better society. It tries to empower the ordinary citizens by providing authentic information of the potential of this fundamental human right, which has proved to indispensable for the functioning of democracy, an effective antidote to corruption and as a critical factor in the socio-cultural, economic and political development. It also looks at significant developments at national and international levels, recognizing the right to information.

(Authors Dr. Krishan Gopal, Deputy Librarian, JNU and Shri. Sarbjit Sharma)