In Brief
A citizen filed a public interest petition under Article 32 seeking implementation of Section 4 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, which requires public authorities to proactively disclose information about their structure, functions, procedures, budgets, and reasons for decisions. The Supreme Court held that public authorities must comply with Section 4's mandatory disclosure obligations supported by annual third-party transparency audits. The Court emphasised that accountability—comprising responsibility, answerability, and enforceability—is central to administrative law and binds the relationship between government and citizens. The Court directed the Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions to continuously monitor implementation through audits, examinations of reports, and recommendations to ensure government transparency as integral to representative democracy.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.