Chief information commissioner (CIC) of the central information commission Wajahat Habibullah on Wednesday said that the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI) is not meant to weaken the government or to compromise with national security.
He was delivering Prof SV Kogekar memorial lecture on 'Right to Information: Reality and rhetoric' in the city. The lecture was organised by Centre for Advanced Strategic Studies (CASS). Retired justice of Supreme Court PB Sawant was in the chair. Director of CASS Air Marshal (retd) Sadanand Kulkarni was present on the dais.
Habibullah said that the RTI is not meant to weaken the government. It is also not meant to compromise with national security. Although the law gives every citizen the right to seek any information held by the government, certain information that would compromise with national security or would lead to anarchy is not to be given under the law.
He said that the aim of the RTI is to strengthen the government and citizenry as both are important in a democracy. He said that the RTI is the only way to control corruption. Thanks to the law, corruption cases are coming to light readily.
"Information is power that can get grievances redressed and combat corruption," he said.
He said that awareness about the RTI needs to be spread more. It is the responsibility of the government under the law to promote awareness amongst people. But it has done little in doing so.
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