President Kovind hails RTI Act

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday stressed on the importance of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, saying that it has contributed to the strengthening of the country's democracy.

Speaking at the 13th Annual Convention at the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra here, the President marked the 13th anniversary of the Act, highlighting its contribution towards transparency in governance.

"Free flow of information is the essence of democracy, and for the people of a free-spirited nation, information is power. People have a right to know how they are being governed, how public money is being spent, how public and national resources are being deployed, how public services are being delivered, and how public works and welfare programmes are being carried out," the President said.

However, President Kovind warned against the misuse of the Act for personal reasons and, saying, "We must be cautious against fringe cases that try to use the RTI mechanism to settle personal scores. Especially in an age when privacy has become a matter of such intense debate, it is crucial to maintain this balance."

The Right to Information Act was passed in the Lok Sabha on June 15, 2005, and it fully came into force on October 12 that year.