The Quest of Information Warriors – Critical Analysis of Protection of Whistleblowers

The Right to Information Act 2005 came into force on 12 October 2005 with the basic aim of good governance. RTI is probably one of the most discussed legislations having a great impact throughout every sector, whether it be the educational institutions, administrative institutions, or even the whole governing body. The RTI act 2005 is very progressive legislation covering not only the government bodies but even the private institutions having somewhat relation with connections to the funds from the government keeping in mind the public welfare. This legislation has a direct over-riding effect on the other legislation, increasing the accountability of the government wherever it is in the public interest. Even though the Right to Information as a large is in favour of the public, but if we see at its ground root level most of the officials are not happy with this type of disclosure and interference. One of the major problems with regard to the disclosure of the information is the protection of Whistleblowers, one who brings to light any scandal, scam, malpractice or incident of corruption. Thomas M. Devine, University of California rightly said that “Whistleblowers protection is a policy that all government leaders support in public but few in power tolerate in private”. The method of research adopted by the researchers in this paper is doctrinal. The researcher here in this paper will be discussing the primary ideology behind the Right to Information concerning the whistleblowers, highlighting certain major case laws and the major happening with regards to whistleblowers and discussing the government’s success and failure with regards to the Right to Information