Section 1 RTI Act: Short title, extent and commencement

Right to Information Act, 2005

Section 1 RTI Act at a Glance

Section 1 RTI Act states the short title of the Right to Information Act, 2005, extends it to the whole of India, and brings listed provisions into force at once and the rest on the 120th day of enactment.

Section 1 RTI Act Bare Act Text

1. Short title, extent and commencement.

(1) This Act may be called the Right to Information Act, 2005.

(2) It extends to the whole of India ***.

(3) The provisions of sub-section (1) of section 4, sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 5, sections 12, 13, 15,16, 24, 27 and 28 shall come into force at once, and the remaining provisions of this Act shall come into force on the one hundred and twentieth day of its enactment.

Amendments to this section
  • The words "except the State of Jammu and Kashmir" omitted by Act 34 of 2019, s. 95 and the Fifth Schedule (w.e.f. 31-10-2019).

Section 1 RTI Act in Simple Words

Section 1 RTI Act sets the official name, territorial reach, and commencement schedule of the Act. Under Section 1(1) RTI Act, the law is called the Right to Information Act, 2005.

Under Section 1(2) RTI Act, the Act extends to the whole of India. The words "except the State of Jammu and Kashmir" were omitted by Act 34 of 2019, section 95 and the Fifth Schedule, with effect from 31 October 2019.

Section 1(3) RTI Act brings the Act into force in two stages. Section 4(1) RTI Act (cataloguing, indexing, computerising, and publishing records by public authorities), Sections 5(1) and 5(2) RTI Act (designation of Public Information Officers and Assistant Public Information Officers), Sections 12 and 15 RTI Act (constitution of the Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions), and Sections 13, 16, 24, 27 and 28 RTI Act came into force at once. All remaining provisions of the Act came into force on the 120th day of its enactment.

FAQs on Section 1 RTI Act

What is Section 1 RTI Act?▼

Section 1 RTI Act names the Act the Right to Information Act, 2005 and extends it to the whole of India. Section 1(3) RTI Act also sets a staged commencement under which specified provisions took effect at once and the remaining provisions took effect on the 120th day of enactment.

Does the RTI Act extend to the whole of India?▼

Yes. Under Section 1(2) RTI Act, the Act extends to the whole of India. The words "except the State of Jammu and Kashmir" were omitted by Act 34 of 2019 with effect from 31 October 2019.

Did every provision of the RTI Act come into force at once?▼

No. Under Section 1(3) RTI Act, only Sections 4(1), 5(1), 5(2), 12, 13, 15, 16, 24, 27 and 28 came into force at once. All remaining provisions came into force on the 120th day of the Act's enactment.

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Sources: Bare Act Text, Right to Information Act, 2005 ·