Post by : Anis Farhan

The Power You Didn’t Know You Had

Most people believe government offices are untouchable, distant, and impossible to challenge. Files disappear, applications stay pending, questions go unanswered, and officials tell you, “Come later” or “Ask someone else.” Over time, citizens begin to accept that silence is their fate.

But the truth is far more powerful.

The Right to Information (RTI) law exists to break silence.

RTI is not for lawyers, journalists, or activists alone. It is for students waiting for certificates, pensioners asking about payments, job applicants demanding results, residents seeking answers about roads, water, electricity, ration cards, and corruption.

RTI turns helplessness into authority.

It allows an ordinary citizen to legally demand information from government offices. Not request. Demand.

RTI is proof that democracy does not end at voting day. It lives in questioning.

What Is the Right to Information in Simple Terms?

RTI means you have the legal right to ask government offices what they are doing with your money, decisions, and power.

Any citizen can ask:

• Why a file is delayed

• How funds were spent

• Who approved a project

• Why a benefit was denied

• Which rule was applied

• What action was taken

• Where documents are held

And the law forces public authorities to reply.

RTI exists because secrecy breeds corruption, and transparency kills it.

Who Can Use RTI?

Every citizen can file an RTI.

You do not need:

• A lawyer

• An activist group

• Media agency

• Influence

• Salary proof

• Connections

You only need:

• A simple written application

• A small fee

• A clear question

A student, a housewife, a farmer, a pensioner, a job seeker — everyone holds the same power under RTI.

Your background does not matter.

Your question does.

What Kind of Information Can You Ask For?

You can seek any record held by a public authority unless it is legally exempt.

You may ask about:

• Budgets

• Tenders

• Contracts

• Staff appointments

• Promotions

• Supplies

• Licenses

• Benefits

• Welfare schemes

• Bills

• Public works

• Reports

• Decisions

• File notings

• Government orders

RTI is not limited to corruption cases. It covers everyday delays and denials.

If a government office controls information, you can seek it.

What Cannot Be Asked Under RTI?

Certain matters are protected to prevent harm to national security or individual privacy.

You normally cannot access:

• Defence details

• Intelligence records

• Personal records of others

• Cabinet discussions (before final decision)

• Court-protected information

• Trade secrets

RTI is about transparency, not invasion.

How RTI Empowers Common People

RTI works not by shouting but by documentation.

Proof Becomes Stronger Than Influence

Officials may ignore protests.
They may ignore letters.
They may ignore visits.

But they do not ignore RTI.

Because RTI goes on file.

And files cannot be argued with.

RTI Creates Accountability

When an officer knows their action can be questioned formally, behaviour changes. Files move faster. Responses become careful. Excuses become fewer.

RTI introduces responsibility where silence once lived.

How to File RTI Step-by-Step

RTI does not require technical language. Simplicity works best.

Step 1: Identify the Right Office

Find the government department related to your issue.

Step 2: Write a Clear Question

Avoid emotion.
Avoid long stories.

Frame simple points like:

• On what date was my file received?

• What action was taken?

• What rule applies?

• What is the current status?

• Who is responsible?

Clarity defeats confusion.

Step 3: Pay the Prescribed Fee

RTI usually requires a small fee.

Paying it makes your request official.

Step 4: Submit and Keep a Copy

Always keep proof of submission.

This becomes evidence of accountability.

Step 5: Wait for the Response

The law gives authorities a fixed time limit.

Silence is not permitted.

What Happens After You File RTI

Authorities must reply within the stipulated period.

They may:

• Provide information

• Deny with reason

• Refer to another department

• Give incomplete reply

If response is unsatisfactory, appeal is your right.

RTI is not one-shot power.

It is a system.

Why Many Citizens Fear Using RTI

Fear spreads through stories of harassment, denial, and intimidation.

Some fear:

• Being targeted

• Being ignored

• Being accused

• Being threatened

The truth is harsher but honest:

RTI can make you uncomfortable to those who benefit from silence.

That does not make RTI dangerous.

It makes it effective.

How to Use RTI Without Fear

RTI is safest when used smartly.

Ask for Information, Not Accusations

Do not threaten.
Do not accuse.
Do not insult.

Ask for records.

Documents do not provoke.
They expose.

Stick to Facts

Avoid emotional language.

Facts cannot be argued.

Do Not Flash RTI as a Weapon

RTI is a shield, not a sword.

Use it quietly.

Stay Anonymous When Applicable

While most RTIs require identity, strategically limiting exposure is wise.

Never reveal unnecessary detail.

Do Not Publicly Confront Officials

Let information speak first.

Why RTI Is Stronger Than Complaints

Complaints disappear.

RTI records history.

A complaint may be ignored.

An RTI application becomes part of governance memory.

RTI and Corruption: A Dangerous Relationship

Corruption survives on silence.

RTI thrives on light.

That is why many fear it.

Corruption rarely fights logic.

It avoids exposure.

How RTI Has Changed Lives

People have used RTI to:

• Recover pensions

• Correct academic records

• Get delayed salaries

• Reveal misuse of funds

• Expose ghost employees

• Fix faulty bills

• Uncover illegal constructions

• Access denied welfare schemes

RTI is not theoretical.

It delivers results daily.

What If You Get No Response?

Silence equals violation.

You have the right to:

• File appeal

• Complain to Information Commission

• Demand penalty

• Seek disciplinary action

RTI punishes silence.

Who Are Public Information Officers?

PIOs are officials responsible for answering RTI requests.

They are legally accountable.

If they fail, they face penalties.

RTI introduces consequences where comfort once existed.

RTI Is Not Against Government

It is for governance.

RTI protects:

• Honest officers

• Ethical systems

• Transparent functioning

RTI eliminates rumours by replacing them with proof.

Common RTI Mistakes to Avoid

Do not:

• Ask questions like “why are you corrupt?”

• Make personal attacks

• Write emotional letters

• File without research

• Forget follow-up

• Disclose identity unnecessarily

RTI is legal surgery, not public shouting.

RTI and Democracy

Democracy is not only a right to vote.

It is a right to ask.

Without RTI, elections choose leaders.

With RTI, citizens control them.

How RTI Creates Responsible Citizens

People stop begging.

They begin demanding answers.

RTI transforms:

Fear → Awareness
Ignorance → Confidence
Silence → Strength
Dependence → Independence

RTI Is Not Just Paper

It is courage with documentation.

It teaches citizens:

• To question

• To record

• To verify

• To persist

When RTI Fails

RTI fails only when:

• People stop asking

• Fear dominates

• Media ignores

• Citizens forget their power

RTI depends on participation.

Not paper.

RTI in Daily Life Matters More Than Protests

A protest ends.

An RTI stays.

Peaceful rebellion through paperwork lasts longer than shouting.

What Future Citizens Must Learn

Children must grow with RTI awareness.

Schools should teach:

• How government works

• How to ask legally

• How to track files

• How to demand answers

Informed youth create fearless adults.

RTI Does Not Guarantee Justice

But it guarantees:

Visibility
Accountability
Documentation
Pressure
Truth

Justice needs law.
RTI provides light.

Final Thoughts: Fear Works for Silence, Not for You

RTI was created so no citizen has to beg.

It was written so no authority can hide.

It was passed so no injustice remains invisible.

The law is on your side.

The process is your power.

The silence is their comfort — not yours.

If you do not question, problems grow roots.

If you ask, they lose shelter.

RTI is not paperwork.

It is resistance without violence.

And it remains the greatest proof that a pen can be stronger than power.

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only. It does not provide legal advice. Readers are encouraged to consult trained professionals or official guidance when filing RTI applications related to specific legal disputes.