"Revolutionary legislation": Congress' Jairam Ramesh on 20 years of RTI Act

Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Right to Information Act, political leaders highlight its role as revolutionary legislation that established transparency and empowered citizens by granting access to public authority information. This foundational law, passed under the previous government, initiated a transformative decade marked by other significant social welfare statutes that further strengthened democratic accountability and public rights. The enduring relevance of the RTI Act lies in its ability to check governmental power by enabling the common person to scrutinize the conduct of elected representatives. By mandating proactive disclosure and timely responses from state bodies, the framework serves as a critical tool for ensuring openness, thereby fostering a culture where governance remains visible and answerable to the electorate. Current concerns regarding the Personal Data Protection Act suggest it may undermine these gains by potentially overriding RTI provisions. This tension underscores the ongoing struggle to balance individual privacy with the public’s right to know, making the preservation of open data access essential for maintaining institutional trust and ensuring that transparency is not eroded by newer regulatory frameworks.

Source: news.webindia123.com
Published on 2025-10-13

"Revolutionary legislation": Congress' Jairam Ramesh on 20 years of RTI Act

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