Sri Lanka moves to enact Right-To-Information law

COLOMBO (EconomyNext) – The new Sri Lanka government has prepared a draft Right-To-Information law that will give citizens access to information as a fundamental right, Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media and Information, Karunaratne Paranavithana said.

Once the law is enacted officials in public institutions will be bound to respond to requests for information from citizens, he told a news conference.
 
Withholding of information will be considered an offence.

The ministries of justice, public administration and media will jointly present the law to parliament for approval, Paranavithana said.

A Right-To-Information Commission will also be appointed with wide powers, he added.