Combating Corruption through Right to Information

Abstract

Public accountability and transparency are basic pre-requisites for any modern
democratic governance. Traditionally, the accountability was only fashioned in political
context and ensured through the election. The public officials and bureaucracy were
mainly immune from such scrutiny. But public management reforms introduced a new
facet by making them directly and individually accountable for their acts and omissions
and their role played regarding the policy formulation and implementation. Right to
information plays a foundational role in the process and is a basic tool without which
accountability and governance cannot achieve the objectives they are meant for.
Moreover, effective use of RTI by all stake holders is also crucial to good governance in
any democratic state. Research is based on empirical and qualitative research
methodology in socio legal context. The paper analyzes the relationship of
accountability, transparency and governance with freedom of information (FOI) and
how these elements can be effective though FOI laws. The paper also discusses how and
who can be the potential effective user of FOI.