The Right to Information Act 2005

The Right to Information Act 2005, is a revision of the Freedom of Information Act 2002.  Right to Information (RTI) is basically a derivative of the Article 19 of the Constitution. The freedom of the press is an essential element for a democracy to function. It is obvious that the main reason for a free press is to ensure that citizens are informed..  it clearly flows from this that the citizens' right to know is paramount. Also, since the government is run on behalf of the people, they are the owners who have a right to be informed directly. 

The RTI act was formulated to facilitate smooth access to information for all citizens. Thus, the Right to Information Act is a codification(the act or process of arranging something, such as laws or rules, into a system) of this important fundamental right (Article 19) of citizens. The right has existed since the time India became a republic, but was difficult to enforce without going to court. The Act and its rules define a format for requisitioning information, a time period within which information must be provided within 30 days , method of giving the information and some exemptions . All this information can be derived by accompanying such fee as may be prescribed, to 

(a) the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, of the concerned public authority;
(b) the Central Assistant Public Information Officer or State Assistant Public Information Officer, as the case may be, specifying the particulars of the information sought by the person interested. 

The Official Secrets Act was long used as a shield by the bureaucrats, and the legislature and judiciary had Parliamentary Privilege and Contempt of Court Act respectively. It was therefore, impossible for the journalist to go into the depth of any matter properly under these constraints. By using the RTI Act, journalists found a new tool of empowerment.

The Press Council has stated that the Right to Information Act is vital for the media. It stated, "At present, one of the stumbling blocks in the path of investigative, analytical and popular journalism is the difficulty in getting access to the official information. Few journalists are able to break the iron curtain of the official non-cooperation. The Right to Information Act will encourage journalists and society at large to be more questioning about the state of affairs and promote accountability. No longer will scribes have to depend on conjecture, rumour, leaks and sources other than knowledgeable sources. Through this legislation, transparency in public, professional, social and personal sphere can be achieved."

A law codifying people's right to know how their representatives and servants in the government function on their behalf is certainly not the ultimate in people's empowerment in a democracy, nor a panacea to all their problems. 
THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005

The Right to Information Act has empowered every citizen. Let us take a look at the rights that are available under RTI Act 2005. Under the

RTI Act,

a citizen can

·         Ask questions from the Government and the public authority or government department/body has to provide a response

·         Take copies of any government documents

·         Inspect any documents belonging to a public body.

·         Inspect samples of Government works

·         Inspect samples of materials of any Government work.

A person who desires to obtain any information under the Right to Information Act shall make a request in writing or through electronic means in English or Tamil to the concerned Public Information officer of the department.

·         No reason for seeking information need be given or should be ask.

·         There is no specified form

How to file RTI Tamil Nadu

The way in which the Right to Information Act 2005 has been made effective is the use of State Information Commissions. When the information asked for is not provided to the citizen by the PIO, he can go to the Appellate Authority of that department. In case, the applicant is still not satisfied by the responses being provided, he can file a complaint to the State Information Commission that the department falls under. The RTI Act is also available in Tamil.

You can follow the format mentioned in the official form.

The procedure to follow to file an RTI application for Tamil Nadu is as follows:

1.     Identify the department to which your RTI application should be sent. For instance, any details sought regarding the police should be filed to the respective police station like the Tamil Nadu Police in this case and if it is about transport service in the city it should go to State Transport Department (Tamil Nadu State Road Transport Corporation).

2.     Write your RTI application on a plain paper, or you can contact the concerned Department and orally tell your RTI queries, the concerned officer, i.e., the Public Information Officer has to take your request you and provide assistance in noting it down in a legitimate format.

3.     You can write your questions in English or in Tamil. The replies that you receive from the government can also be either in English or in Tamil.

4.     Always keep in mind that the questions should relate to only one topic otherwise it might get rejected, according to the RTI Act. For instance, if it is about status of FIR, ask questions that are only related to FIR.

5.     You are required to Attach Rs.10/- fee in the form of Court Fee Stamp, Cash, DD.

6.     Send it via- speed post/registered post or file it directly in the Department.

Departments where your RTI Tamil Nadu application can be sent to:

RTI applications can be filed to any government departments like Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission, Tamil Nadu Electricity department, Transport department's, Chief Minister office, Municipal corporations of various cities, District Magistrate office of the different districts of Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu PWD etc.

You can also search and understand about the major departments in Tamil Nadu so that you know which department you want to send your questions to. There are some documents that are required to be uploaded, called the Proactive Disclosures of departments.

You can access information like Manuals for RTI applications or handbooks for understanding statistics of the department

Fees that you need to pay for your RTI Tamil Nadu

The requisite RTI fee has to be paid as mentioned in the

Tamil Nadu RTI rules

in the form of postal money order or by affixing court fee stamp or by Demand Draft or Bankers Cheque as mentioned in the rules. There is a different fee prescribed for Inspection or if the information is required in CD format. RTI applications can be sent through speed posts, registered posts, or couriers with the requisite RTI Fee.

An Act to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, the constitution of a Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

1.     This Act may be called the Right to Information Act, 2005.

2.     It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir

“appropriate Government" means in relation to a public authority which is established, constituted, owned, controlled or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly. Whereas the Constitution of India has established democratic Republic;
by the Central Government or the Union territory administration, the Central Government:
by the State Government, the State Government;

"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;

"prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act by the appropriate Government or the competent authority, as the case may be;

public authority" means any authority or body or institution of self- government established or constituted—
And whereas democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of information which are vital to its functioning and also to contain corruption and to hold Governments and their instrumentalities accountable to the governed;
And whereas revelation of information in actual practice is likely to conflict with other public interests
"public authority" means any authority or body or institution of self- government established or constituted
by or under the Constitution;
by any other law made by Parliament;
by any other law made by State Legislature;
by notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government, and includes any—

1.     body owned, controlled or substantially finance

2.      non-Government organization substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government;

record" includes—
any document, manuscript and file;
any microfilm, microfiche and facsimile copy of a document;
any reproduction of image or images embodied in such microfilm (whether enlarged or not); and
any other material produced by a computer or any other device;

"right to information" means the 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;

Right of access to information

(1)  Every person bonafied requiring information may have access to such information in  accordance with the procedure specified under this Act.

 (2) Not withstanding anything contained in sub-section

 (1), no person shall be given information relating to – 

(a) information relating to defence security; 

(b) information whose disclosure will prejudice the security, integrity and sovereignty of the Nation and the State;

 (c)  information whose disclosure would harm the conduct of international relations or affairs; 

(d) information received in confidence from foreign Governments, foreign courts or international organisations;

 (e) information whose disclosure would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion, including;- 

(i) proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet committees;

 (ii) internal opinion, advice, recommendations, consultation and deliberation;

 (iii) projections and assumptions relating to internal policy analysis; analysis of alternative policy options and information relating to rejected policy options; 

(iv) confidential communications between departments, public bodies and regulatory bodies; 

(f) information relating to confidential communications between Ministers and the Governor;

(g) information whose disclosure would prejudice the administration of justice, including fair trial and the enforcement or proper administration of the law; 

(h) information whose disclosure would prejudice legal proceedings or the proceedings of any tribunal, public inquiry or other formal investigation (whether actual or likely) or whose disclosure is has been or is likely to be addressed in the context of such proceedings;

 (i) information covered by legal professional privilege;

(j) information whose disclosure would prejudice the prevention, investigation or detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders;

 (k) information whose disclosure would harm public safety or public order; 

(l) information whose disclosure would endanger the life or physical safety of any person, or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence  for law enforcement or security purposes; (m) information whose disclosure would increase the likelihood of damage to the environment; or rare or endangered species and their habitats;

(n) information whose disclosure would harm the ability of the Government to manage the economy, prejudice the conduct of official market operations, or could lead to improper gain or advantage to any person; 

(o) information whose disclosure would prejudice the assessment or collection of tax, duties, or assist tax avoidance or evasion; 

(p) information including commercial confidences, trade secrets or intellectual property whose unwarranted disclosure would harm the competitive position of the third party;

 (q) information whose disclosure could lead to improper gain or advantage or would prejudice, 

(i) the competitive position of a department or other public body or authority; 

(ii) negotiations or the effective conduct of personnel management or commercial or contractual activities;

(r) information held in consequence of having been supplied in   confidence by a person who,

 (i) gave the information under a statutory guarantee that its confidentiality would be protected; or  (j) was not under any legal obligation, whether actual or implied, to supply it, and has not consented to its disclosure;

(s) information whose disclosure is prohibited under any enactment, regulation or international agreement;

 (t) information whose release would constitute a breach of Parliament/Legislative Assembly/Council Privilege;

 (u) the documents referred in sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, (v) any matter which is likely to, -

 (i) help the commission of offence;

(ii) help or facilitate escape from legal custody or affect prison security;  or

(iii) Impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders.  

The students of Prabhat Khabar Institute of Media Studies (PKIMS) exposed many irregularities and instances of corruption in Jharkhand through RTI. The embezzlement in the Jharkhand Assembly Guesthouse is a very good example of how RTI can help in investigative journalism
n 2009, students of the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore, did an investigative story on the misuse of public funds by then CM of Karnataka, B.S Yeddyurappa. The entire premise of the story was built around the RTI filed by them, which revealed that the CM had used 11 lakhs from the taxpayer’s money to visit 8 temples during the first 6 months of his tenure. However, it wasn’t easy to get hold of this information. The students revealed that they were shunted between different officials 72 times by 18 officers to get the required information.
RTI is a very important tool for journalists, especially in a country like India where the Press is not absolutely free.
If Press freedom is partial, then journalists can use RTI to get various important information from the State and Central Governments. The RTI Act of 2005 made it mandatory to give information to those parties who had successfully filed an RTI to government bodies, after paying a prescribed fee. It mandates timely response to any citizen seeking information from the government.
Even the Press Council has stated that the Right to Information Act is vital for the media and its endeavour to be a watch dog of the society
There is direct relationship which exists between RTI, informed citizen and fair governance. Right to information gives citizen an opportunity of being informed.

தகவல் அறியும் உரிமைச் சட்டம், 2005, பிரிவு 6(1) கீழ் விண்ணப்பிக்கும் அசல் (Original ) மனு.                                                                                                             
[ பதிவ தபால் ஒப்புகை அட்டையுடன்- Registered Post With Acknowledgement]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          தேதி
                

பெறுதல்:                                                   
பொது தகவல் அலுவலர் 

1. விண்ணப்பதாரர் பெயர்: 
 2. விண்ணப்பதாரர் முகவரி: 
 3. தகவல் பற்றிய விபரம்:  
(அ) சம்மந்தபட்ட துறை:                                                                                                                                    

ரூ 10 க்கு உரிய நீதிமன்ற கட்டண வில்லை (ஆ) தேவைபடும் தகவல் பற்றிய விவரங்கள்:                                       (Court Fee Stamp)

 4. நான் கோரும் தகவல் இச்சட்டத்தின் பிரிவு 6-ன் கீழ் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட விசயங்களுக்கு உட்பட்டதல்ல என்பதுடன் நான் அறிந்த வரையில் அது தங்கள்  அலுவலகம் சம்மந்தப்பட்டது என தெரிவிக்கிறேன். 

 5. இது சம்பந்தமாக உரிய கட்டணம் ரூ.10/- க்கு நீதிமன்றகட்டண வில்லைகள் செலுத்தியுள்ளேன். 
                                                                 (விண்ணப்பதாரர் கையொப்பம்) 
இடம்: 
 நாள்: 

எந்தெந்த தகவல்கள் கேட்கலாம்.

@பதிவேடுகள், ஆவணங்கள், மெமோ எனப்படும்
    அலுவலக குறிப்புகள்.
@கருத்துரைகள், அதிகாரிகளின் கோப்பு குறிப்புகள், @அலுவலகங்களின் செய்தி குறிப்புகள்,
@சுற்றறிக்கைகள், ஆவணகள், ஒப்பந்தங்கள்,
    கடிதங்கள், முன்வடிவங்கள், மாதிரிகள்.
@கணீனி சார்ந்த பதிவுகள், மின்னஞ்சல்கள்.
@பொது நலன் சார்ந்த அனைத்து தகவல்கள்.
@சம்மந்தப்பட்ட ஆவணங்கள் மற்றும்
    பதிவேடுகளைப் பரிசீலனை செய்யும் உரிமை,
@நகல் எடுக்கும் உரிமை ஆகியன
    உறுதிப்படுத்தபட்டுள்ளன.

யார் தகவல் கேட்கலாம்.

@ இந்திய குடிமக்கள் யார் வேண்டுமானாலும்.
@ தனி நபராக அல்லது அமைப்பாக தகவல்
    கோரலாம்.

தகவல் தர கால அளவு.

@ விண்ணப்பித்த 30 நாட்களுக்குள்.
@ உயிர் மற்றும் சுந்த்திரம் காக்கும் 48 மணி       
      நேரத்திற்குள்.(the life and liberty of a person)

கட்டண விலக்கு. 

@.வறுமை கோட்டுக்கு கீழ் வாழ்பவர்கள் அதற்குரிய
     சானறின் நகலை அனுப்பினால் எவ்வித 
     கட்டணமும் இல்லை.

கட்டண விபரம்

@மனுதாரர் சம்மந்தப்பட்ட துறைக்கு நேரில்
      சென்று ரூ.10 விண்ணப்ப கட்டணம் ரொக்கமாக
      செலுத்தி ரசீது பெறலாம்.  
@ ரூ.10 விண்ணப்ப கட்டணம் (கோர்ட் பி
      ஸ்டாம்பு(Court Fee Stamp), டி.டி.(DD), போஸ்டல்
      ஆர்டர்(Postal Order).
@ கூடுதல் கட்டணம் இருந்தால், அதிகாரி
      மனுதாரறுக்கு எழுத்துபூர்வமாக தெரிவிக்க
      வேண்டும்.
@ கணினி சார் பதிவுக்கு [சிடி(CD)/ பிளாப்பி(Floopy)/
      டிவிடி(DVD)] கூடுதலாக ரூ.50.
@ அச்சிலுள்ள தகவல்களை நகல்(Xerox) எடுக்க 
       பக்கத்துக்கு ரூ.2.
@ ஆவணங்களை நேரில் பார்வையிட முதல் 1 
      மணி நேரம் கட்டணமில்லை. 
      கூடுதலாகும் ஒவ்வொரு மணி நேரத்துக்கும் ரூ.5.

யாரிடம் கேட்கவேண்டும்.

@ஓவ்வொரு அரசு அலுவலகங்களிலும், ஒரு
     பொது தகவல் அதிகாரியும் (PIO-Public information  
     officer), 
     ஒரு மேல் முறைட்யீடு அதிகாரியும் (Appellate  
     PIO-Appellate public information officer)
     நியமிக்கபட்டிடுருப்பர். 
@ மாநில தலைமை அலுவலகங்கள் இல்லாது
      மாவட்ட/ வட்டார/ உள்ளாட்சி அளவில் 
      உதவி தகவல் அதிகாரி (Assistant PIO-Assistant  
     Public information officer) தகவல் கொடுக்க
      பொறுப்பானவர். 
பொது தகவல் அதிகாரி  (PIO-Public information officer).                     
@ தகவல் தருவது பொது தகவல் அதிகாரி(PIO-
      Public information officer)  யாவர், என்பதால் நமது
      மனுவினை  இவரிடம் கொடுக்கவேண்டும்.

@ இவர் 30 நாட்களுக்குள் தகவல் தரவேண்டும்.
@உதவி தகவல் அதிகாரி (Assistant--PIO)35
      நாட்களுக்குள் தகவல் தரவேண்டும்.
@ கோரப்பட்ட தகவல்கள் 30 நாட்களுக்குள்
      தரமறுக்கப்பட்டால்,
@ தகவல் தர காலதாமதம் ஏற்ப்பட்டால்,
@ தவறான தகவல் கொடுக்கப்பட்டால்,
@ பெறப்பட்ட தகவல்கள் குறிதது அதிருப்தி
      இருந்த்தால். 

@ சம்மந்த்ப்பட்ட துறையில் உள்ள மேல்
      முறைட்யீடு அதிகாரிக்கு (AppellatePIO-Appellate
      public  information office)மேல் முறையீடு
      செய்யலாம்.
மேல் முறைட்யீடு தகவல்அதிகாரி (Appellate PIO-Appellate public information officer)
குறிப்பு: மேல் முறைட்யீடுக்கு கட்டணம் இல்லை.  
குறிப்பு:மேல் முறைட்யீடு செய்யும்போது  நாம் பொ. த. அதி (PIO )                 
                        அனுப்பிய   மனுவின் நகலை இணைக்கவேண்டும்.
@ இவர் 30 நாட்களுக்குள் தகவல் தரவேண்டும்.
@ கோரப்பட்ட தகவல்கள் 30 நாட்களுக்குள்
      தரமறுக்கப்பட்டால்,
@ தகவல் தர காலதாமதம் ஏற்ப்பட்டால்,
@ தவறான தகவல் கொடுக்கப்பட்டால்,
@ பெறப்பட்ட தகவல்கள் குறிதது அதிருப்தி
      இருந்த்தால்.  

@மத்திய அரசுக்கான மனு எனில் மத்திய தகவல்
     ஆணையத்திடமும்,மாநில அரசுக்கான மனு
     எனில்மாநில தகவல் ஆணையத்திடமும்

மேல்
     முறையீடு செய்யலாம்.

மாநில தகவல் ஆணையம். (State Information Commission)

தகவல் ஏன் நமக்குத் தேவைப்படுக்கிறது ? 

                       @ ஒரு செயலைச் செய்ய ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட தகவல் இல்லையன்றால், நம்மால் ஒரு முடிவினை எடுக்க முடியாது. எனவே நமக்குத் தேவையான தகவல்களைத் கொண்டே செம்மையான முடிவினை எடுத்து திறமையாக செயல்பட்டு, வெற்றி பெற முடியும். எனவே தகவல் என்பது நமக்கு  அவசியமான ஒன்றாகும்.                      
source
http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/programs/ai/rti/india/legislation/tamilnadu_rti_act.pdf
https://onlinerti.com/how-to-file-rti-online-for-tamilnadu