Assess the effectiveness of the Right to Information Act, 2005 in ensuring transparency and accountability in governance in the last two decades. (Answer in 250 words)

RTI Act, 2005 was enacted on demands of Mazdoor Kisan Sangath, an for proactive and on-demand dissemination of information to ensure transparency and accountability for good governance. Positive effect of RTI Act: (1) Enhance Information dissemination - proactively (e.g) criminal discards of politicians, ensuring effective voting powers (2) Transparent Appointment powers (e.g)

during employment generation, helping reduce reform, and favouritism. (3) Timely dissemination - from CIC, with limit of 30 days (4) Protection of Private data - by non-revealing of stalage and personal data, upholding Right to Privacy under Article 21 (5) Help in scheme Implementation - by reducing corruption and leakage (6) Merit based appointments - without any bias and reduced role of bureaucrat-politician nexus, keeping it check red-tapism

Limitations (1) Recent Amendments (e.g) RTI set of 2014 leading to higher scope of information restriction by classifying as private data (2) Higher pendency (e.g) 4 lakhs pending requests as per CIC Annual Report 2014 (3) Delayed Appointment - with 8 CIC posts lying vacant (CIC Report, 2014) (4) Politicization of post - with appointment seen as reward posting, by government interference Way forward - Higher autonomy, Stringent time limits, Staff and funds allotment, Higher public participation (e.g) CPRAMS Thus digital nation must be used to empower citizens and set them as 'mere entree in a ledger'.