How to File an RTI

Under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 any Indian citizen can request information from a government office, department or official. The Act mandates the timely provision of information to all citizens.

The Act empowers applicant citizens to:

• Ask questions or seek any information;
• Obtain copies of permissible governmental documents;
• Inspect permissible governmental documents; and,
• Inspect permissible governmental works and obtain samples.

The RTI Act prescribes the following steps to seek public information:

• Application: Write an application specifying the particulars of the information sought. This may be handwritten, typed and also sent as an e-mail. Send the application to the concerned Public Information Officer (PIO) or Assistant Public Information Officer (APIO) of the concerned public authority. In case an applicant has difficulty in writing the application, she/ he can verbally request the PIO or the APIO who is duty bound to put the request in writing.
• Language: The application may be written in English, Hindi or the official language of the area.
• Fees: A payment of Rs 10 as application fee needs to be made along with the application. The payment could be made online or sent as demand draft, banker's cheque or Indian Postal Order or given as cash to the Accounts Officer of the department. An applicant is also required to pay an additional fee, which is the cost of providing the information, calculated and informed by the Public Information Officer (PIO).
• Deadlines: A reply should be provided within 30 days. In case the RTI application involves questions of life or liberty, the reply should be provided within 48 hours. For human rights abuse details from listed security / intelligence agencies, the deadline is 45 days.
• Appeal: An appeal may be fi led if the applicant does not receive the information sought within 30 days or is aggrieved by the decision of the PIO. An appeal may be drafted on a blank paper addressed to First Appellate Authority of the department along with the copy of the original application.
• Second appeal: If information is not received even after the first appeal, then a second appeal may be filed with the Information Commission.