Section 26 of The Right to Information Act, 2005
- (1)The appropriate Government may, to the extent of availability of financial and other resources,--
- (a)develop and organise educational programmes to advance the understanding of the public, in particular of disadvantaged communities as to how to exercise the rights contemplated under this Act;
- (b)encourage public authorities to participate in the development and organisation of programmes referred to in clause (a) and to undertake such programmes themselves;
- (c)promote timely and effective dissemination of accurate information by public authorities about their activities; and
- (d)train Central Public Information Officers or State Public Information Officers, as the case may be, of public authorities and produce relevant training materials for use by the public authorities themselves.
- (2)The appropriate Government shall, within eighteen months from the commencement of this Act, compile in its official language a guide containing such information, in an easily comprehensible form and manner, as may reasonably be required by a person who wishes to exercise any right specified in this Act.
- (3)The appropriate Government shall, if necessary, update and publish the guidelines referred to in sub-section (2) at regular intervals which shall, in particular and without prejudice to the generality of sub-section (2), include--
- (a)the objects of this Act;
- (b)the postal and street address, the phone and fax number and, if available, electronic mail address of the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, of every public authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 5;
- (c)the manner and the form in which request for access to an information shall be made to a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be;
- (d)the assistance available from and the duties of the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, of a public authority under this Act;
- (e)the assistance available from the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be;
- (f)all remedies in law available regarding an act or failure to act in respect of a right or duty conferred or imposed by this Act including the manner of filing an appeal to the Commission;
- (g)the provisions providing for the voluntary disclosure of categories of records in accordance with section 4;
- (h)the notices regarding fees to be paid in relation to requests for access to an information; and
- (i)any additional regulations or circulars made or issued in relation to obtaining access to an information in accordance with this Act.
- (4)The appropriate Government must, if necessary, update and publish the guidelines at regular intervals.
Summary
- The appropriate government should design and run educational programmes to help the public, especially disadvantaged communities, understand how to use their right to information.
- The government should train public information officers, create training materials, and encourage public authorities to run educational programmes.
- Within eighteen months of the law starting, the government must compile a simple, easy to understand guide in its official language to help citizens exercise their rights.
- The government must update and publish these guidelines at regular intervals, including details like officer contact information, how to make requests, fees, and legal remedies.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. Who is responsible for creating public awareness programmes under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005?
Under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the appropriate government, which means either the central government or the state government depending on the public authority, is responsible for developing these educational programmes as far as their resources allow.
2. Within what time limit must the government compile the guide for citizens under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005?
Under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the appropriate government is required to compile and publish the easy to understand guide within eighteen months from the commencement of the Act.
3. What details must be included in the citizen guide under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005?
Under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the guide must include the goals of the Act, contact details of public information officers, how to file a request, available legal remedies, the appeal process, fee details, and rules for voluntary disclosure of records.
Test yourself
Q1.Under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, what is the maximum time limit given to the appropriate government to compile and publish the user-friendly guide for citizens?
Q2.Under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, whose training is the appropriate government specifically tasked with organising?
Q3.Under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, what constraint does the government face when designing and organising educational programmes?
Q4.Under Section 26 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, which specific group is highlighted for receiving educational programmes to advance their understanding of the law?