Manuals published in pursuance

 of section 4(1)(b) of

the Right to Information Act, 2005

(22 of 2005)

Manual Updated Newly on 31.08.2022

The Right to Information Bill, 2005 was passed by the Lok Sabha on 11^th May, 2005 and by the Rajya Sabha on 12^th May, 2005 and it received the assent on 15^th June, 2005. It came on the Statute Book as THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005 (22 of 2005).

The Right to Information Act, 2005 enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-sixth Year of the Republic of India has been published on 21^st June 2005 in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority with an objective to furnish certain information to citizens who desire to have it. The Act consists of 31 sections.

Obligations of public authorities have been given in Section 4 of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Section 4(1)(a) of the said Act speaks that Every public authority shall maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and the form which facilitates the right to information under this Act and ensure that all records that are appropriate to be computerised are, within a reasonable time and subject to availability of resources, computerised and connected through a network all over the country on different systems so that access to such records is facilitated.

Section 4(1)(b) of the said Act speaks that every public authority shall publish 17 Manuals within one hundred and twenty days from the enactment of this Act.

Section 4(1)(c) of the said Act directs that every public authority shall publish all relevant facts while formulating important policies or announcing the decisions which affect public; and

Section 4(1)(d) of the said Act directs that every public authority shall provide reasons for its administrative or quasi judicial decisions to affected persons.

Other relevant provisions of Section 4 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 are as below.

Section 4(2) It shall be a constant endeavour of every public authority to take steps in accordance with the requirements of clause (b) of sub-section (1) to provide as much information suo motu to the public at regular intervals through various means of communications, including internet, so that the public have minimum resort to the use of this Act to obtain information.

Section 4(3) For the purpose of sub-section (1), every information shall be disseminated widely and in such form and manner which is easily accessible to the public.

Section 4(4) All materials shall be disseminated taking into consideration the cost effectiveness, local language and the most effective method of communication in that local area and the information should be easily accessible, to the extent possible in electronic format with the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, available free or at such cost of the medium or the print cost price as may be prescribed;

Explanation For the purposes of sub-sections (3) & (4), disseminated means making known or communicated the information to the public through notice boards, newspapers, public announcements, media broadcasts, the internet or any other means, including inspection of offices of any public authority.

To ensure compliance of the provisions of Section 4(1)(b) of the said Act it has also been decided to compile and publish following 17 Manuals in respect of Banaras Hindu University in terms of various provisions of the said Act:

Sl.No.

Manuals

1.

The particulars of its organization, functions and duties;

2.

The powers and duties of its officers and employees;

3.

The procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability;

4.

The norms set by it for the discharge of its functions;

5.

The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions;

6.

A statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control;

7.

The particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof;

8.

A statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public;

9.

A directory of its officers and employees;

10.

The monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations;

11.

The budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made;

12.

The manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes;

13.

Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations granted by it;

14.

Details in respect of the information available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form;

15.

The particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use;

16.

The names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers;

17.

Such other information as may be prescribed.