The Right to Information (Amendment) Act, 2019: The Politics of Disempowering Empowerment

Abstract

The Right to Information has emerged as a powerful tool to strengthen participatory democracy in India. The journey from secrecy to transparency was a result of people’s arduous movement and also the active role played by the media and civil society organisations that culminated into the Right to Information Act, 2005. The Act has given statutory recognition to the cherished right to know and to be informed of the matters that concern public at large. Since then, the Act has enabled the citizens to demand information from every public authority carrying out public functions in exchange of a nominal fee which is waived for the people below poverty line. The Act has indeed made transparency a rule and secrecy an exception and has re instilled people’s faith in democracy. From securing individual rights to unearthing scams worth crores, the Act has emerged as a potent weapon empowering citizenry. However, it is interesting to note that although considered boon to the citizens, the Act remained a bone of contention to the government since inception. Almost every government in power have made repeated attempts to dilute the Act. Eventually, the present government serving its second term in power has finally succeeded in bringing significant changes in the Act through the Right to Information (Amendment) Act, 2019. It is debatable as to whether there was any imminent need for the amendment to be introduced or it is a conscious effort to disempower people.