Various Steps of Implementation of Right to Information in India - GovtVacancy.Net

Various Steps of Implementation of Right to Information in India

* Shri V.P. became the Prime Minister of India in 1989. Singh, in his first message to the country on December 3, 1989, had made the first announcement to amend the Constitution to provide the Right to Information and to amend the Official Secrets Act. However, the government could not implement it.

 

* On March 1, 1990, the Central Government tried to know by issuing a semi-official letter on the points related to the amendment in the Official Secrets Act,  how secrecy can be reduced in official activities.

 

* Workshop on Right to Information was held in October 1995 at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie. In this, the prominent people and officials who were agitating on the Right to  Information prepared a draft of the Right to Information after discussing it.

 

* Chief Ministers' Conference was held in New Delhi on 24 May 1997. Its theme was  "Making an Action Plan for an Effective and Responsible Government". In this, it was agreed to enact a Right to Information Act. The Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances in its 38th report also recommended such a law.

 

* National Campaign for People's Right to  Information (NCPRI) was formed in 1996 at Gandhi Peace Foundation (New Delhi). The NCPRI and the Press Council of India appointed  Justice P.B. The draft document was prepared under the leadership of Sawant and it was submitted to the Government of India.

 

* To keep the government transparent and accountable, HD A committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Shourie. The Shourie Committee presented the draft 'Freedom of Information Bill' in May 1997. HD No decision could be taken on the draft submitted by Shourie.

 

* In the year 2001, the Standing Committee of Parliament approved the Freedom of Information Bill.

 

* In December 2002, Parliament passed the Freedom of Information Bill.

 

* It received the assent of the President in January 2003. It was notified as Act No. 5/2003 on 6th January 2003. But in the name of making its rules, it was not implemented.

 

* In May 2004, the UPA Government at the Center constituted a National Advisory Council for the implementation of the Common Minimum Programme. The council presented a complete document of Right to Information.

 

* The Right to Information Bill was introduced in Parliament on 22 December 2004. This bill was definitely better than the 2002 law, but it had many flaws.

 

* It was finally introduced in the Parliament in March 2005.

 

* It was passed in Lok Sabha on May 11, 2005, with 144 amendments.

 

* Rajya Sabha also passed it on 12 May.

 

* On June 12, 2005, the President gave his assent.

 

* Thus, the Right to Information Act became effective in the whole country  (except Jammu and Kashmir) with effect from 12 October 2005. 

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