Right to Information Act, 2005

The Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI) is an Act of the Parliament of India that gives citizens the right to information held by the government. The Act gives citizens the right to request information from any public authority, including central government departments, state government departments, local bodies, and public-funded institutions.

The main objectives of the RTI Act are:

  • To promote transparency and accountability in the working of the government.
  • To empower citizens to hold the government accountable.
  • To improve the quality of governance.

The RTI Act has the following provisions:

  • Any citizen can ask for information from any public authority.
  • The public authority must provide the information within 30 days of the request.
  • If the public authority does not provide the information, the citizen can appeal to the Central Information Commission (CIC) or the State Information Commission (SIC).
  • The CIC and the SIC are independent bodies that are responsible for enforcing the RTI Act.

MCQs on Right to Information Act, 2005

Here are some MCQs on the topic of Right to Information Act, 2005:

  1. Who can file an RTI application?
    • Any citizen of India
    • Any resident of India
    • Any person who is domiciled in India
    • All of the above
  2. What is the maximum time limit for a public authority to respond to an RTI application?
    • 30 days
    • 60 days
    • 90 days
    • 120 days
  3. Who can appeal to the CIC or the SIC if a public authority does not provide the information?
    • The person who filed the RTI application
    • Any person who is affected by the decision of the public authority
    • Any person who is interested in the information
    • All of the above
  4. What are the penalties for not complying with the RTI Act?
    • Fine imprisonment both fine and imprisonment none of the above

Answers to the MCQs:

  1. The answer is (d). Any citizen of India, resident of India, or person who is domiciled in India can file an RTI application.
  2. The answer is (a). The maximum time limit for a public authority to respond to an RTI application is 30 days.
  3. The answer is (d). Any person who is affected by the decision of the public authority, or who is interested in the information, can appeal to the CIC or the SIC.
  4. The answer is (c). The penalties for not complying with the RTI Act are fine and imprisonment.