Definition of “information” and “document” provided in the Right to Information Act
Information is defined as “every kind of data that is within the scope of this law and are included in the records of the institutions” by article 3(c) of the 2003 Act. Article 3(d) defines “documents” as “any written, printed or copied file, document, book, journal, brochure, etude, letter, software, instruction, sketch, plan, film, photograph, tape and video cassette, map of the institutions and the information, news and other data that are recorded and saved in electronic format that are within the scope of this law.”
Article 3(3) also provides a definition for “access” to information and documents. The law requires access to “information” and the public institutions need to provide copies of any documents that are available. This could be photo-copies or documents in electronic format.
However, in cases were it is not possible to provide a copy of the document requested, an applicant may be permitted to examine the original information or the document or see the contents of such documents, or any form of data, and should be allowed to take notes.
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