The common belief is that the Act applies only to Government institutions and information can be requested only from governmental organizations. It is not correct. The Act applies to a variety of organizations including some private organizations fully and some private organizations partly. Information can be obtained from the following types of organizations:

1. All Government organizations, Ministries and Departments, Central or State.

2. All organizations which are substantially financed by Government funds, whether Public or Private.

3. The Legislatures, Central or State i.e. the two houses of Parliament and the State Legislatures and Councils in the States.

4. The entire judicial set-up including the High Courts and the Supreme Court.

5. Constitutional Authorities like the Election Commission of India

6. Private organizations which are under control of any Public Authority under any existing Law. In these cases limited information can be asked for by citizens. Only that much which the Public Authority can ask from the private body under the Law.

Every private organization has to comply with some or the other Law of the Land. These Laws are implemented by agencies of the Government like Ministries, Departments and other kinds of Government organizations, called as Public Authorities. Under these Laws, these Government organizations have, or can obtain some or the other information of private bodies. A citizen can demand such information of private bodies from these Government organizations.