Well known advocate R V Nadagouda has said that Right to Information, one of the fundamentals of a vibrant democracy, can create a responsible citizenry. And only a responsible citizenry can keep the polity and administration in good and healthy order.
He was presenting a paper called “Right to Information Act and its Social Relevance” at a workshop on RTI Act organised jointly by the District Legal Services Authority, Siddartha Law College and Bar Association here recently.
Nadagouda said that RTI Act has great social relevance as it can ensure transparency, accountability and efficiency in administration.
RTI’s relevance
According to Nadagouda the social relevancy of RTI Act is four fold; relevancy of the Act in a democratic country like India; relevancy of information in increasing efficiency in administration; role of information in elimination of corruption in public life; and in creating a responsible citizenry.
He said that information is the source which empowers people to act more meaningfully both for electors and elected representatives. According to Nadagouda one of the recent beneficial off shoots of RTI is the disclosure of property owned by elected representatives and the criminal cases against them.
Newspapers these days have been publishing details of assets and liabilities of legislators and ministers and also criminal cases against them, by exercising power under the RTI Act to the appropriate authority. This information was not available earlier to the media. Knowing details about the contesting candidates people can make a qualitative choice.
Maintaining that the government is vested with enormous and unfettered powers Nadagouda said such powers are for furthering economic and social interests, and personal liberty of people. The objective of better use of powers could be best ensured by giving individuals access to government information, he added.
The common grievances of people which largely affect their life can also be redressed by eliciting relevant information. “Problems like schools not having teachers and hospitals not having doctors can be effectively tackled by exercising the right to information,’’ Nadagouda said.
