More than 2000 years ago, when it was as easy to run away from detention as going for a walk, Socrates refused to escape from the jail where he was detained for the capital punishment awarded to him under the Athenian law. He stayed and accepted the poison administered to him without even a trace of protest. Such is the sanctity of law which a man of conscience would never violate. Law has evolved over the years hand in hand with civilization, mutually affecting each other, to cover any departure from the accepted norms. Civilized living would not be possible without the rule of law.

All along the development of civilization law has been delivered from above prescribing for the common man the Do's and Don'ts of life and conduct. The government and their subordinate agencies always worked in a mysterious semi luminous darkness under the garb of official secrecy, applying the laws of the land as per their own interpretation: often hanging a petty thief and letting the great ones go by unchallenged. Even questionable actions of the officialdom remained unquestioned. In India, historically, citizens have never come to know the manner in which they are being governed. An era of 2000 years is over with the closing of the 20th century. In the first decade of the new millennium we, the citizens of India find a gift of evolution of Law and civilization, enlightening the ordinary citizen about his Right to Information. This new law enacted as 'The Right to Information Act 2005' brings about a reversal of situation lighting up all that the citizen wanted to see but was not allowed to. This Act empowers the citizen to seek any information he requires from the agencies of governance which under the Act they are duty bound to provide. It applies to all the three pillars of governance and to the constitutional bodies. The scope extends to information of private organizations as well, though in a limited way. It is a societal tragedy in our country that the government officials who are the servants of the public have deliberately fostered an impression that it is the other way round. This Act will set the perspective right but only when the ordinary citizen learns a deft use of the provisions of this Act.

No doubt explaining the law is a difficult and delicate task but I have tried to transcribe the provisions of the Right to Information Act in a language as simple as of the common people so that the common man could understand these provisions and make use of the same. I have made no attempt to use any stylistic finesse to impress the reader. My aim has been, through and through, to achieve optimum understanding and response with a view to equip the reader with sufficient inputs enabling them to exercise the Right to Information. This Act has the potential of changing the face of the country. We, the citizens of India only need to know and exercise our Right to Information. in an articulate language in keeping with the spirit of the Act.

In the end I must admit that it is the Legislature that makes laws and it is the executive that administers them and when the affected people contest the meaning and scope of the law in question it is only the Judiciary that interprets them. This book makes no pretence to either interpret or explain the law but makes a sincere effort to introduce the Right to Information Act to the people it empowers against an unresponsive officialdom

I am indebted to my inspiration, the guiding force behind this work and thankful to my family for all the support I have received from them.