Indians in America Gain Access to India's Right to Information Act

A U.S.-based non-profit organization, the Association for India's Development (AID), has long been involved in the campaign to extend the right to Indians living abroad.

Indian consulates abroad came under the purview of the act after campaigning by AID volunteers to get the embassy in Washington to accept its Right to Information Act petition.

Similar to the Freedom of Information Act in the United States, the 2005 statute is regarded as one of the most progressive laws passed in India. Now any Indian with a valid Indian passport can file a Right to Information application at the Indian Embassy. The fee is 24 cents and the response time should be within 35 days.

One of the first requests filed in the United States has asked for information on Dow Chemicals as part of an ongoing campaign to force the company to clean up the Bhopal plant where the Union Carbide gas leak occurred in 1984.

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