Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The abolition

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

  • 1. The abolition of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 was recommended by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission
  • 2. The Right to Information Act was enacted in 2005
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2024
Statement 1 is correct: The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2nd ARC), in its First Report titled “Right to Information: Master Key to Good Governance,” recommended the repeal of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and its replacement by a chapter in the National Security Act, retaining only provisions related to espionage. While not complete abolition without replacement, this is correctly interpreted as recommending its removal in its current form.
Statement 2 is correct: The Right to Information Act received presidential assent on 15 June 2005 and came into full force on 12 October 2005. Thus, it was enacted in 2005.
Since both statements are correct, option C is the correct answer.
The 2nd ARC strongly advocated for transparency and recommended changing the Official Secrets Act to align with the spirit of the Right to Information. The RTI Act is a landmark legislation enacted in 2005 to promote transparency and accountability in government functioning.
The Official Secrets Act, 1923 is a colonial-era law that has often been criticized for being a hindrance to transparency. The 2nd ARC’s recommendation aimed to balance national security concerns with the public’s right to information.