According to Section 2 (f), “information” means any material in any form including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.
Whereas, “record” includes-
• Any document, manuscript and file;
• Any microfilm, microfiche, and facsimile copy of a document;
• Any reproduction of image or images embodied in such microfilm (whether enlarged or not); and
• Any other material produced by a computer or any other device.
And “Right to Information” means the right to information accessible under this Act which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to-
• inspection of work, documents, records.
• taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records.
• taking certified samples of material.
• obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is stored in the computer or in any other device.
The term “public authority” means any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted-
a) By or under the constitution;
b) By any other law made by parliament;
c) By any other law made by legislature;
d) By a notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government and includes any- (i) body owned, controlled or substantially financed; (ii) non-Government Organization substantially financed’ Directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government;
It is noteworthy to mention here the term ‘Appropriate Government’ means, in case of centre it is ‘Central government’ and in the matter related to a state it is ‘State Government’. In the light of above definitions, definition of ‘Right to Information’ comprehensively included:
• A citizen has a right to obtained any- records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body, from any public authority, which is held by a public authority or which is held under its control.
• A citizen has a right to see a work document or record closely, carefully, and purposefully.
• A citizen has a right noting down certain information from the documents inspected.
• A citizen has a right to take samples from the material being purchased or used by the Public Authorities.
• A citizen has a right to obtained information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is stored in the computer or in any other device.
• A citizen has no right to obtained information from other than public authority, i.e. from private body, institution or organization including NGO’s which are self-financed.
However, it is not included in the definition but noteworthy to mention here, that:
• The Act gives the right to information only to the citizens of India. It does not make provision for giving information to corporations, associations, companies, etc. which are legal entities/persons, but not citizens.
• Under the Act, only such information is required to be supplied, which already exists and is held by the public authority or held under the control of the public authority.
• Right to information is not absolute. Section 8 and 9 provided the provisions about the information which are exempted for disclosure.