- The Right to Information Act, once passed, will allow ordinary Bhutanese to be informed and get a responsible, transparent and accountable government. Though the Act was drafted in 2007, the cabinet is yet to introduce it in the Assembly. "Information is absolutely critical for fighting corruption and the government should introduce the act and enforce it at the earliest date possible,' said the chairperson of the anti corruption commission (ACC), Neten Zangmo. "The Right to Information Act will allow a fair and just system, sensitise the administrative machinery and empower the people,' said the chief justice, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye. On the origins of RTI Draft Act, the chief justice, who headed the drafting committee said, "His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo in his great wisdom had earlier asked that the draft of all major acts be ready before the constitution is passed.' Under RTI, any Bhutanese can go to any government agency and ask for official information, which the agency has to provide within a certain time period or face prosecution in court. For example, a farmer can question the executing agencies on how exactly money was spent for his water supply. "RTI is therefore an enforceable public right to access information in possession of any government ministry, department, nationalised industry, public corporation or any other organisation substantially financed by the government,' said Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye. "Information here pertains to all written papers, documents, drawings, electronic, photographic, film, audio and physical records, including all records of all administrative decisions.' The government agency would not be allowed to question the person seeking information or set conditions for giving information. "The only exempt information shall be those affecting the security and sovereignty of the nation, personal information with no relation to public activity, protected intellectual property rights, prohibition by court order and prohibition by another act which mentions this act, substantially diverts public resources and interferes with lawful functions,' said Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye. He said that the clauses could also not be misused by any authority to deny valid information. "Apart from national security issues, the police and the courts will also come under this act,' said Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye. Under the Act, it will be mandatory for every government agency to set up an information cell headed by an information officer. The responsible