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Title: ENSURING AN INFORMED CITIZENRY: EXAMINING SOME OF THE LAWS IN INDIA WHICH MANDATE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
Authors: Dr. Lalit Dadwal
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Dr. Lalit Dadwal Associate Professor, Department of Laws, H. P. University, Shimla-5
MLA 8 Dadwal, Dr. Lalit. "ENSURING AN INFORMED CITIZENRY: EXAMINING SOME OF THE LAWS IN INDIA WHICH MANDATE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 3, no. 7, July 2018, pp. 2929-2960, ijsser.org/more2018.php?id=202. Accessed 2018. APA Dadwal, D. (2018, July). ENSURING AN INFORMED CITIZENRY: EXAMINING SOME OF THE LAWS IN INDIA WHICH MANDATE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 3(7), 2929-2960. Retrieved from ijsser.org/more2018.php?id=202 Chicago Dadwal, Dr. Lalit. "ENSURING AN INFORMED CITIZENRY: EXAMINING SOME OF THE LAWS IN INDIA WHICH MANDATE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 3, no. 7 (July 2018), 2929-2960. Accessed , 2018. ijsser.org/more2018.php?id=202.
References [1]. Quoted by K.K. Mathew, "The Nature and Scope of the Right to Know in a Democratic Republic", S.C.C., 1979, Journal Section, p.19. [2]. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India, (1978), SCC 248; AIR 1978 SC 597. [3]. International Commission of Jurists, Freedom of Information Survey ,International Commission of Jurists: Nairobi, 2006,p. 1 (Noting that the right to know is useful "tool for fighting corruption and waste of public resources") [4]. http://www.oas.org/dil/access_to_information_iachr_guidelines.pdf ( accessed on 25.5.2018) [5]. Roger Vluegels, "Overview of all FOI Laws", Fringe Special ,2011, available at: http://www.right2info.org/resources/publications/laws-1/ati-laws_fringe-special_rogervleugels_2011-oct (accessed on 02-05-2018). See also, Ackerman and Sandoval-Ballesteros, "The Global Explosion of Freedom of Information Laws" 58 Adm. L. Rev. 85(2006). Also see, Law Commission of India Report No.275,p.38 [6]. General Comment No. 34 of the UNHRC, CCPR/C/GC/34, para. 18, available at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/gc34.pdf ( accessed on 21-05-2018). Report of the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Abid Hussain, pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolution 1993/45 E/CN.4/1995/32, para. 135, available at: https://documents ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G94/750/76/PDF/G9475076.pdf?OpenElement ( accessed on 21-05-2018). [7]. Report of Special Rapporteur on Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, A/70/361, para. 6, available at: https://documentsddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N15/273/11/PDF/N1527311.pdf?OpenElement ( accessed on 22-05-2018) [8]. Report prepared by Article 19 (a British human rights organisation), titled "Open Development: Access to Information and the Sustainable Development Goals", available at: https://www.article19.org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/07/Open-Development-Access-toInformation-and-the-SDGs-2017.pdf at 6-9 (accessed on 21- 05-2018) [9]. U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/90/D/1173/2003, Communication No. 1173/2003, Abdelhamid Benhadjand Ali Benhadj v. Algeria, available at: http://www.worldcourts.com/hrc/eng/decisions/2007.07.20_Benhadj_v_Algeria.htm (accessed on 02-05-2018); See also, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/64/D/628/1995, Communication No. 628/1995, Tae Hoon Park v. Republic of Korea, available at:http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/undocs/session64/view628.htm (accessed on 02-05-2018). [10]. Mark .G.Yudof, ' When Govt speaks: Politics, law, and govt, expression \ Uni. of California Press, 1983, p.24. [11]. Tsuri, Kotaro (2003). Transparency of Government (Part 1) - Breakthrough for Reforming the Shape of a Nation. [12]. www.thefreedictionary.com/transparency [13]. Lucas Powe, The Forth Estate and the Constitution: Freedom of the Press in America, 1991, p.256 ,University of California Pres: Berkeley. Available at https://www.right2info.org/resources/publications/publications/towards-promoting-access-toinformation-in-kenya-2011 (accessed on 25.6.2018) [14]. Abhishek Malhotra and Gaurav Aggarwal, " Technology & Jurisprudence", Central India Law quarterly, 1998, p. 312.
Abstract: The right of access to information held by Government, empowers citizens to be able to engage and participate in decisions that affects their lives. The right of access to information is essential to the democratic functioning and the well being of the individuals. It enable the strengthening of citizen participation and the exercise of socio-economic and political rights , fosters development ,economic preference and makes government accountable for their actions and management of public finances and public services. There are various Indian laws which provide for the right to access information in specific contexts. Most of these laws provide information on demand and does not sufficiently stress to give such information proactively. Publicity about information laws and their provisions is critical. Awareness about these laws is still low in India especially among the rural population, and marginalized groups. Inadequate publicity of these laws is the biggest challenge in accessing information. This article looks at the concept of access to information and its relation with transparency and accountability in the system of governance in India. The article takes a detail look at the laws other than the RTI Act, 2005 which mandates disclosure of information in India. Finally, the paper is encapsulated with certain suggestions, which the government can incorporate to make the governance more transparent and accountable.

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