Abstract

This paper examines the combined role of social audits and the Right to Information (RTI) in strengthening democratic governance in India, with particular attention to their institutional interaction and governance outcomes. While existing studies largely analyze these mechanisms independently, this paper adopts a review-based and comparative methodological approach to assess how social audits and RTI function as complementary tools for transparency, accountability, and citizen empowerment. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of participatory democracy and accountability, the study synthesizes academic literature, policy documents, and international case experiences from Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa to identify both enabling conditions and persistent constraints. The analysis reveals that despite their transformative potential, the effectiveness of social audits and RTI in India is undermined by structural challenges, including bureaucratic resistance, limited institutional responsiveness, uneven citizen awareness, and the exclusion of marginalized groups. The paper argues that strengthening democratic governance requires moving beyond procedural transparency toward deeper institutional reforms that enhance administrative accountability and citizen engagement. It concludes by proposing evidence-based strategies—such as capacity building, legal safeguards, inclusive methodologies, and technological integration—to reinforce the synergistic functioning of social audits and RTI in India.