Right to Information Act 2016 · As enacted · Part VII · General
43. Interpretation
Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.
Official translationFrom Department of Government Printing, unchanged
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires–
“citizen” includes a body whether incorporated or unincorporated, if not less than three-fourths of the members of such body are citizens;
“designated officer” means a designated officer appointed under section 23 of this Act;
“Higher Educational Institution” means a University,
Campus or University College established or deemed to be established or made by the Universities Act, No. 16 of 1978 or acknowledged by the University Grants
Commission or established under the provisions of any other Act;
“information” includes any material which is recorded in, in any form including records, documents, memos, emails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, log books, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, correspondence, memorandum, draft legislation, book, plan, map, drawing, diagram, pictorial or graphic work, photograph, film, microfilm, sound recording, video tape, machine readable record, computer records and other documentary material, regardless of its physical form or character and any copy thereof;
“information officer” means an information officer appointed under section 23 of this Act;
“local authority” means a Municipal Council, Urban
Council or a Pradeshiya Sabha and includes any authority created or established by or under any law to exercise, perform and discharge powers, duties and functions corresponding or similar to the powers, duties and functions exercised, performed or discharged by any such Council or
Sabha;
“non governmental organisation” means any organization formed by a group of persons on a voluntary basis and receiving funds directly or indirectly from the Government or international organisations and is of a non governmental nature;
“public authority” means –
a Ministry of the Government;
any body or office created or established by or under the
Constitution, any written law, other than the Companies Act No. 7 of 2007, except to the extent specified in paragraph (e), or a statute of a Provincial
Council;
a Government Department;
a public corporation;
a company incorporated under the
Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007, in which the State, or a public corporation or the State and a public corporation together hold twenty five per centum or more of the shares or otherwise has a controlling interest;
a local authority;
a private entity or organisation which is carrying out a statutory or public function or service, under a contract, a partnership, an agreement or a license from the government or its agencies or from a local body, but only to the extent of activities covered by that statutory or public function or service;
any department or other authority or institution established or created by a
Provincial Council;
non-governmental organisations that are substantially funded by the government or any department or other authority established or created by a
Provincial Council or by a foreign government or international organisation, rendering a service to the public in so far as the information sought relates to the service that is rendered to the public;
higher educational institutions including private universities and professional institutions which are established, recognised or licensed under any written law or funded, wholly or partly, by the State or a public corporation or any statutory body established or created by a statute of a
Provincial Council;
private educational institutions including institutions offering vocational or technical education which are established, recognised or licensed under any written law or funded, wholly or partly, by the State or a public corporation or any statutory body established or created by a statute of a Provincial Council;
all courts, tribunals and institutions created and established for the administration of justice;