Before the RTI Act, 2005, the Supreme Court recognized right to information as implicit in which Fundamental Right?
- Article 14 (Equality)
- Article 19(1)(a) (Freedom of Speech)
- Article 21 (Life and Liberty)
- Article 25 (Religious Freedom)
Answer: Article 19(1)(a) (Freedom of Speech)
Pre-RTI Act cases: (a) Bennett Coleman v. Union of India (1972): Right to information implicit in Article 19(1)(a), (b) Indian Express v. Union of India (1985): Right to know essential for democracy, (c) Dinesh Trivedi v. Union of India (1997): Citizens' right to know about government functioning. RTI Act, 2005 statutory recognition; Supreme Court in 2024 (Electoral Bonds case) reaffirmed right to information as part of Article 19(1)(a).