How to File an RTI Application

How to file an RTI application

Want information from a government department? You can get them by filing an RTI application in plain paper before the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the department. Your application may be handwritten, typed or computer printed in English or the official language of the local area. A postal order of Rs 10 as application fee should accompany the application. This fee is exempted for BPL applicant. It should be supported by a copy of BPL certificate. You may seek information of any documents, records, letters, files, note sheets, etc as given in the RTI Act, 2005. However, you should give clear specification of the information sought – documents, records or anything else.

First Appeal

If you do not get any satisfactory reply from the PIO concerned within the stipulated time, you can file an appeal petition within 30 days from the date of expiry of the stipulated time to the first appellate authority – an officer who is senior in rank to the PIO of the public authority.

Second Appeal

If you have not received the information sought for after the first appeal, you can file the second appeal petition before the State Information Commission, Panjabari, Silpgram, Guwahati or Central Information Commission, as the case may be, within 90 days from the date on which the decision of the first appellate authority should have been made or was actually received.

For online filing of RTI application, visit http://rtionline.gov.in. This service is only available for Central government departments and ministries, including the PMO, the Secretariats of the President and the Vice President, and the Secretariats of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

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