The Right to Information Act provides a practical administrative framework for citizens to access information held by public authorities without hindrance; to increase transparency and accountability in the functioning of government officials; to establish the Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions; and to deal with related and incidental matters.

A person seeking information shall submit an application in writing or through electronic means, in English or Malayalam, along with an application fee of ₹10, to the Public Information Officer / Assistant Public Information Officer.

Persons Below the Poverty Line (BPL) shall be fully exempt from payment of fees if they produce a document proving their status. They are also exempt from additional fees for obtaining information. To receive the fee exemption, the applicant must produce a certificate issued by the BDO.

Upon receipt of an application, the information shall be provided as expeditiously as possible and, in any case, within 30 days of receipt of the application, upon payment of the prescribed fee; or the application shall be rejected for any of the reasons specified in Sections 8 and 9 of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

However, if the information sought concerns the life or liberty of a person, it must be provided within 48 hours of receipt of the application.

If the records cannot be found even after a reasonable search, their retention period has expired, or the records do not exist, the application must be disposed of by informing the applicant, with valid reasons, that the requested information cannot be provided.

Decisions taken in good faith in such circumstances are protected by law. If the information is not provided, any fee collected must be refunded to the applicant.

Information relating to the implementation of development projects must be displayed transparently and clearly at the project site. Technical and financial details must be published along with administrative proceedings, and transparency guidelines must be followed.

Administrative information and meeting proceedings of the Grama Sabha, local self-government institutions, and transferred institutions must be published in a manner accessible to the public.