The RIPF (Right to Information Protection Forum) is a registered body of committed individuals working towards making our government and society more transparent and accountable, with relevance to which the Right to Information Act envisages:

1. The right of any citizen of India to request access to information available with public authorities;
2. The duty of government to pro-actively make available key information to all;

What is information?

Every citizen in India has the right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under sec. 19 (1) (a) of the Indian Constitution. The freedom of speech and expression is a preferred right even among the fundamental rights. The Right to information Act is merely an instrument that lays down the statutory procedure in the exercise of this right. The prerequisite for enjoying this right is knowledge and information. But without access to information, this was incomplete. The Supreme Court of India reaffirmed in the Airways case in 1995 that “the freedom of speech and expression includes the right to acquire information and to disseminate it.” Thus the law declared in India is clear. But for the last 57 years, the bureaucrats always kept guard on each information available with the public authorities as they were having the weapon of OSA (Official Secrets Act). Similarly the executive has the rules of disciplinary proceedings, judiciary has the contempt of court provisions and the legislature has the parliamentary privileges.

Now with the legislation of the RTI Act, every citizen in India has actually got the right to free speech and expression which includes the right to receive and collect information and disseminate it. With the advent of RTI Act the country finally belongs to the citizen of India, and it has become a tremendous weapon for the common people.

Objectives:

The RIPF, a non-government organization, is committed to promote right to information movement. The aims and objects of RIPF shall be to work in all possible ways to encourage democratic values in governance, for strengthening of practices and systems and to ensure just, transparent and accountable governance, free from corrupt practices.

Organisational structure

RIPF is registered under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific & Charitable Societies Act. As per the requirement of Societies Act, there is a General Body of members of RIPF, which consists of 15 members. Out of the General Body, an Executive Committee consists of 7 members is elected, which is required to run RIPF. This includes President, Secretary, Treasurer and four executive members. This core team is responsible for carrying out the day-to-day activities of RIPF and is answerable to the General Body.

Executive Committee Members

Mr. M. Nandanan (President)
Mr. N. Rajendran (Secretary)
Mr. P.B. Rajendrababu (Treasurer)
Mr. K.S. Sivarajan
Mr. K.M. Jalaludeen
Mr. B. Sugathan
Mr. B. Sasidharan

Contact us:
The Secretary, Right to Information Protection Forum (RIPF)
TC. 10/1068(1), Surya, ARA 100, Vilabhagom Gardens,
Mananthala, Trivandrum 695015.
email: ripfkerala@gmail.com
Tel: (0471)2531159 Mob:9447345122