Every time I heard of some groundbreaking truth uncovered using the tool "RTI Act", as much I admired the people who sought, got and publicized that information, so much I appreciated the power of RTI Act itself.
I also wondered how such a powerful tool was given to citizens of India? How come or law makers and executors were so generous about empowering the public against themselves?
I was not aware of any strong demand or movement of public (like what we see for Jan Lok Pal) before it was enacted. Today, I did some online search to find that there was more than decade long fight to push & corner the Govt to bring such a law.
Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), lead by Aruna Roy, was the pioneer to start and most instrumental in the RTI Movement.
Interestingly, before the national level RTI Act was enacted by the Parliament (Year 2005), several state level RTI Acts were brought by Tamil Nadu, Rajashtan, Goa, Delhi and Karnataka, as early as year 2001
Rajasthan, where the actual RTI movement was started and was rigorously activie, was not the first state to bring it. Tamil Nadu was the first state to enact RTI Act (though not a powerful one), without any notable public movement within the Tamil Nadu state. Goa & Karnataka were the next states which brought RTI almost on their own without public movement. Later in few more states like Delhi and Maharashtra, RTI enactment followed the public movement by Parivarthan NGO (in Delhi, with mentoring & support by MKSS) (Parivrthan NGO <website not available> was founded by Aravind Kejriwal & Manish Sisodia) and Anna Hazare (in Mahrashtra).
It is notable that the enactments followed by the public movements were more powerful and practical ones.
Later more or less all RTI activists, movements and international institutions networked and came together to make the national level RTI Act 2005. "National Campaign for People's Right to Information" was the association of major RTI Movement Organizations.
Here are some more resources:
