Right to Information Questions and Answers

Answer: C

The penalty can be imposed by the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission.

Under Section 20 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, when the Central or State Information Commission, as the case may be, finds that a Public Information Officer has without reasonable cause refused or delayed information, it imposes a penalty of 250 rupees a day, up to 25,000 rupees, and may recommend disciplinary action.

Each commission acts within its own sphere, so 'only' the Central or 'only' the State commission is incomplete, and the High Court has no power to impose this penalty under Section 20.

Answer: B

The right to information belongs to all citizens.

Section 3 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 states simply that, subject to the provisions of the Act, all citizens shall have the right to information. Information is sought from public authorities through their public information officers.

The Act does not extend the right to all persons, which would include non-citizens. Public authorities and the appropriate government are the bodies that must provide information, not the holders of the right.

Answer: B

The US Freedom of Information Act applies only to federal agencies.

The Freedom of Information Act, 1966 gives any person the right to request records held by federal executive-branch agencies, such as departments, regulatory commissions and government corporations, subject to nine exemptions such as national security and personal privacy.

Congress and the federal courts are not 'agencies' under the Act and are outside it. Parts of the Executive Office of the President whose sole function is to advise the President are also excluded, so the option naming them is wrong too.

Answer: D

The answer is All the above.

Section 2(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 defines the right to information as including the right to (i) inspect work, documents and records; (ii) take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records; (iii) take certified samples of material; and (iv) obtain information in electronic form such as diskettes, floppies, tapes or video cassettes.

Each of the first three options is one item of this list, so none of them alone is the complete answer.

Answer: D

Any immaterial document and information is not included.

Section 2(i) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 defines 'record' to include any document, manuscript and file; any microfilm, microfiche and facsimile copy of a document; any reproduction of image or images embodied in such microfilm; and any other material produced by a computer or any other device.

The first three options repeat these categories. 'Immaterial document and information' is not part of the definition.

Answer: D

The right is reflected in Article 19 of the UDHR.

Article 19 protects freedom of opinion and expression, which includes the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Access to information is grounded in this article.

Article 18 protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion, Article 10 the right to a fair and public hearing, and Article 6 the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.