Five years of RTI in Nepal

Today, Nepal celebrates five years of implementation of Right to Information. Though Right to Information was recognized as fundamental human right by 990 vonstitution of Nepal, door for implementation opened when the interim parliament passed Right to Information Act 2007 on July 18. This was endorsed by the speaker of the parliament on July 21 and came into force on August 20, 2007. 


According to Tank Aryal in his article in Republica Daily today, the government established the National Information Commission in May 2008 and the cabinet passed the RTI regulation in February 2009. Since then, Commission has given some landmark decisions which have paved ways for some sort of good governance in the country.

Some of these decisions are directing government to divulge information about VAT defaulters and making checked answer sheets available to students. These moves have helped a little to establish accountability in the state mechanisms. However, much is to be done.