RIGHT TO INFORMATION UNDER THE ACT
10. A citizen has a right to seek such information from a public authority which is held by the
public authority or which is held under its control. This right includes inspection of work,
documents and records; taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records; and taking certified samples of material held by the public authority or held under the control of the public authority. It is important to note that only such information can be supplied under the Act which already exists and is held by the public authority or held under the control of the public authority. The Public Information Officer is not supposed to create information: or to interpret information; or to solve the problems raised by the applicants; or to furnish replies to
hypothetical questions.
11. The Act gives the citizens a right to information at par with the Members of Parliament and the Members of State Legislatures. According to the Act, the .information which cannot be denied to the Parliament or a State Legislature, shall not be denied to any person.
12. A citizen has a right to obtain information from a public authority in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through print-outs provided such information is already stored in a computer or in any other device from which the information may be e-mailed or transferred to diskettes etc.
13. The information to the applicant should ordinarily be provided in the form in which it is
sought. However, if the supply of information sought in a particular form would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority or may cause harm to the safety or preservation of the records, supply of information in that form may be denied.
14. In some cases, the applicants expect the Public Information Officer to give information in
some particular proforma devised by them on the plea that they have a right to get information...