Hoshiarpur: Senior Advocate Ashwani Kumar Verma of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stated that the Right to Information (RTI) Act is a potent tool in the hands of ordinary citizens; it can be effectively utilized to ensure transparency in government operations and to raise a voice against corruption.
During a special interaction, Advocate Ashwani Kumar Verma remarked that the RTI Act serves as a crucial legal instrument for strengthening transparency, accountability, and public participation within India's administrative system.
He noted that a large number of people still lack adequate knowledge about the RTI Act. Many are unaware of the correct procedure or the specific official to whom an application should be submitted to obtain information from a government department. Due to this lack of information, citizens are often unable to exercise their legal rights effectively.
Advocate Verma clarified that the RTI is not merely a means to obtain information from government departments; it is also a vital tool for ensuring the accountability of government institutions and bringing transparency to administrative functioning.
He explained that citizens can obtain necessary and relevant information from public authorities through the RTI. If information is not provided despite following the prescribed legal process, one can resort to the appellate and other legal remedies available under the law.
He provided detailed information on several key legal aspects, including the correct method of filing an RTI application, the types of information that can be sought, the responsibilities of relevant departments and officials, and the procedures to be followed if information is not provided.
Senior Advocate Ashwani Kumar Verma emphasized that raising public awareness about the RTI Act is the need of the hour. If citizens understand their right to information and exercise it responsibly and in the public interest, they can make a significant contribution toward making the administrative system more transparent and accountable. During the special conversation, he also shed light on several other important legal aspects related to the RTI Act and urged people to be aware of their rights and to exercise the right to information in a proper and responsible manner.