2/15/2017 ShouldRightToInformationHaveBeenGrantedAsAFundamentalRight

LegalServiceIndiaShouldRightToInformationHaveBeenGrantedAsAFundamentalRight?

ShouldRightToInformationHaveBeenGrantedAsAFundamentalRight?
Writtenby:VienayaGanesanILSLawCollege
Chatwithus(2PM9PMIST)

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SinceJune2005,whenRighttoInformationAct,waspassed,ithasbeenhailedasthehallmarkofdemocracyforthereasonsthatitpurportstomake,as
regardsgovernmentinformation,disclosurethenormandsecrecyastheexception.ExpertsfeelthatastheActaimsatmakingthegovernmenttransparent
andmoreaccountable,theeffectiveuseofitwould,inalongrun,curbcorruption.

Butisthisreallythetruth?Withadministratorsandlegislators,whoarealwaysinanattempttonarrowthescopeandapplicabilityoftheAct,inthepastone
yeartheActhasseenmorecontroversiesthansuccessstories.Fromparliamentarydebaterelatingtoexclusionoffilenotingstoarmysrefusaltogrant
information,itisevidentthattherighttoinformation,asastatutoryright,hasservedasapuppetinthehandsofourrulers.Thereis,therefore,aneedfeltfor
asuperiorandmoredynamicright.

Inthisarticle,IanalyzethereasonsastowhyrighttoinformationneedtohavebeenincludedinPartIIIoftheConstitution,tobegrantedasafundamental
rightratherthanastatutoryright.Thiswouldhavekepttheconstantattackstherightsuffersatthehandsofthepoliticiansatbay.

IdealStatusofRighttoInformation:
TheidealstatustherighttoinformationdeservesisthatofafundamentalrightunderourConstitution.WiththeConstitutionalguaranteetoconformto,theAct
couldhavebeenusedasaninstrumentconstitutingtherequisiteauthorities,apartfromlayingdownthequintessentialexceptionstograntinginformation,such
asnationalsecurityandparliamentaryprivilege.

RightToInformationRecognizedAsAFundamentalRightByTheJudiciary:
Atthisjuncture,itisimperativetonotethattheSupremeCourt,inStateofU.Pv.RajNaraina1974case,recognizedtherighttoknowasarightinherentin
FundamentalRighttofreedomofspeechandexpressionguaranteedunderarticle19(1)(a)oftheConstitution.Followingthis,aplethoraofcasestherightto
informationwasrecognizedasarightimplicitinthearticle19(1)(a)andinarticle21(fundamentalrighttolifeandpersonalliberty).

InPeoplesUnionforCivilLibertiesv.UnionofIndia,theSupremeCourtobservedthatin
RightofinformationisafacetofthefreedomofspeechandexpressionascontainedinArticle19(1)(a)oftheConstitutionofIndia.Rightofinformation,thus,
indisputablyisafundamentalright.

However,everytimetheConstitutionisamended,thebasicstructuretestlaiddowninKeshavanadaBhartiCasehastobesatisfied.Thetestprovidesthata
constitutionalamendmentshouldnotbeinderogationofthebasicfeaturesoftheConstitutionlikejudicialreview,democracyorRuleofLaw.Whileincluding
therighttoinformationisasafundamentalright,ifatallthereisanyeffectonanyofthebasicstructureitwouldbeinthenatureofstrengtheningthe
democracyandmakingitprogressive,asenvisagedbythemakersofourConstitution.

NeedForTheFundamentalRightStatus:
ThenatureofproblemstheActhasfacedtilldaterangesfromadministrativeinterpretationagainstthegrantofrequestedinformation,toordinaryandeasy
amendmenttoreducethescopeoftheAct.Ifeel,theaboveproblemswouldnothavearisenhadtherightbeenafundamentalright.Letusnowanalysethe
problemscasewisetounderstandmyreasoning.

1.ExclusionofFileNotingsFromthePurviewoftheRTIAct:
InDecember2005,theCentralGovernment,forthefirsttime,floatedtheideatoexcludingfilenotingsfromthescopeoftheActbybringingaboutan
amendmenttotheAct.Filenotingsisanimportantpublicdocumentcontainingdetailsofthedecisionmakingprocessinanypublicmattersuchaswhosaid
whatandwhorejectedwhoseviewandonwhatgroundsbeforeadecisionwasreachedingovernment.Italsoincludestheofficialcorrespondencebetween
officersinpursuanceofagovernmentschemeorproject.

Thenewscreateduproar,withactivistsopiningthattheaccountabilityofthegovernmentwouldremainonlyinpaperwithsuchexclusion.Thematterwasthen
puttorestwiththePrimeMinister,Mr.ManmohanSinghsstatementagainsttheexclusion.

However,todaythematterisbackinnews.Asondate,theUnionCabinethasapprovedtheAmendmentBilltotheAct,thatwhenpassedwillexemptfile
notingsasinformationthatcanbedemandedasamatterofright.

2.IndianArmysRecentRefusaltoGrantInformation:
AgaininDecember2005,theIndianArmyrefusedtoprovideinformationtoanapplicantonthegroundthatissuesofnationalsecuritywereinvolvedinthe
requestedinformation.ThiswasinspiteoftheArmynotbeingoneoftheeighteenagenciesthatareexemptedundertheAct,byvirtueofsection.24.Butwhen

http://www.legalserviceindia.com/articles/rtf.htm 1/2
2/15/2017 ShouldRightToInformationHaveBeenGrantedAsAFundamentalRight
thePMintervenedandinsistedthatArmycannotrefuseuntilagovernmentnotificationtothateffect,thearmyretracteditsstand.

CouldItHaveBeenAvoided?
Theabovementionedcontroversieshasbroughtoutintotheopen,thehardfacts.ThespinelesspoliticiansaregoingtoamendtheActasandwhentheylike
it,suitingtheirneedsofthedaytheofficersaregoingbecomplacentandhesitantingivingtheinformation.HadrighttoinformationbeenaConstitutional
provision,thefearofPILswouldhavekeptacheckonthenotorietyoftheparliamentariansandauthorities.

Conclusion:
Thus,itisevidenttheissuessuchasthoseillustratedabovecouldhavebeenavoidedhadrighttoinformationbeenafundamentalrightundertheConstitution.
Ideally,thelegislatureshouldhavebroughtaboutaconstitutionalamendmenttoincludetherighttoinformationasafundamentalrightandtheActshouldhave
merelyconstitutedtheInformationCommissionsandappointedthePublicInformationOfficers.Withtheseparategovernmentagencytotackletheproblems
relatingtothefundamentalrighttoinformation,theevilsofbureaucraticpressuresandwhimsicaladministrativeinterpretationscouldhavebeenkeptatbayand
democracycelebrated.

Inclusionofrighttoinformationasafundamentalrightwouldhavealsobeeninconformitywiththedecisionsoftheapexcourt.

Therefore,thoughIndiahasfinallywokenuptorealizethatrighttoinformationisakeycomponentintheattainmentofeconomic,socialandpoliticalrightsof
anindividualaswellasthecommunityatlarge,inmyopinion,thestepshehastakentowardsitcouldhavebeenmoreeffectivehadsheguaranteeda
fundamentalrighttoinformationtoitscitizenry.

MoreArticles:
TheRightToInformationAct
RightToInformationFundamentalRight
OpenGovernmentandtheRighttoInformation
RightToInformationActAnOverview

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