The Right to Information Act provides Indian citizens the right to request and access information from public authorities. It replaced the Freedom of Information Act of 2002, which was criticized for allowing too many exemptions. The RTI Act applies to all states except Jammu and Kashmir and covers constitutional authorities, bodies established by acts of parliament or state legislatures, and bodies substantially funded by the government. Citizens can submit written requests to public authorities' Public Information Officers, who must respond within 30 days. Certain types of information related to security, court proceedings, personal privacy, and trade secrets are exempt from disclosure.