Any Indian citizen can file a Right to Information (RTI) application to get information from any government body — central, state, or local. You do not need a lawyer, you do not need to give a reason, and it costs just Rs. 10. Under the RTI Act, 2005, the government authority must reply within 30 days, and if they do not, the responsible officer can be fined Rs. 250 per day up to Rs. 25,000.
Why this matters
The Right to Information Act, 2005 is one of the most powerful tools available to ordinary citizens in India. It gives you the legal right to ask any government body — from your local municipal office to a central ministry — for information about its decisions, spending, policies, and actions. Before the RTI Act, getting information from the government was nearly impossible for most people. Now, a Rs. 10 application can compel any public authority to answer your question within 30 days.
RTI has been used by citizens to uncover corruption in government contracts, verify the status of pending applications (passports, ration cards, building approvals), check how public money is being spent, and hold officials accountable for delays. It is not just a tool for activists — it is a practical, everyday tool for anyone dealing with the Indian government.
The Act applies to all public authorities established or constituted by or under the Constitution, by any law made by Parliament or a State Legislature, or by a notification or order of the government. This includes government departments, public sector undertakings, courts (for administrative matters), and any body substantially funded by the government.
Step-by-step: How to file an RTI application
Step 1: Identify the right public authority
Before you file, figure out which government body holds the information you want. For example:
- Passport status or delays — Ministry of External Affairs (Passport Seva)
- Municipal approvals or property tax — your local Municipal Corporation
- Income tax matters — Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
- Police-related information — your State Home Department or Police Commissionerate
- Central government schemes — the relevant Ministry
If you are unsure, file it with the department you think is most relevant. Under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, if you send the application to the wrong department, they are legally required to transfer it to the correct one within 5 days. You do not lose your fee.
Step 2: Decide — online or offline
Online (for Central Government bodies): Go to rtionline.gov.in. This portal handles RTI applications for all Central Government ministries and departments. You can pay the Rs. 10 fee through internet banking, debit/credit card (Visa, Mastercard, RuPay), or UPI. You will receive an instant registration number to track your application.
Important limitation: This portal does NOT accept applications for State Government bodies, including the Government of NCT of Delhi. If you file a state-level RTI here, it will be returned without a refund.
Online (for State Government bodies): Most states now have their own RTI portals. Some major ones:
- Maharashtra: rtionline.maharashtra.gov.in
- Karnataka: rtionline.karnataka.gov.in
- Uttar Pradesh: rtionline.up.gov.in
- Check rti.gov.in/rtistatelink.asp for your state's portal
Offline (by post or in person): Write a simple letter addressed to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the relevant department. There is no prescribed format — a plain paper application works. Send it by post (preferably registered or speed post for proof of delivery) along with a Rs. 10 postal order, demand draft, or court fee stamp as the fee. You can also hand-deliver it to the PIO's office and get an acknowledgment.
Step 3: Write your RTI application
Your application needs only four things:
- Your name and address (and contact number/email for convenience)
- The name and address of the PIO (or just the department name if you do not know the PIO's name)
- Your questions — be specific and clear. Instead of asking "Tell me everything about project X," ask "What is the total amount sanctioned for project X in 2025-26, the amount spent so far, and the expected completion date?"
- Fee payment details — mention the mode of payment (postal order number, DD number, or online transaction ID)
You do not need to explain why you want the information. Under Section 6(2) of the RTI Act, you are not required to give any reason for your request.
Tips for writing effective RTI queries:
- Ask specific, factual questions — dates, amounts, names, file numbers, approval status
- Number your questions clearly (1, 2, 3...)
- Limit yourself to one department per application
- Ask for certified copies of documents if you need them (additional fee of Rs. 2 per page applies)
- If the information involves life or liberty of a person, mention this — the PIO must respond within 48 hours instead of 30 days
Step 4: Pay the fee
The standard RTI application fee is Rs. 10. BPL (Below Poverty Line) cardholders are fully exempt — attach a copy of your BPL card.
Additional fees may apply for:
- Photocopies of documents: Rs. 2 per page
- Inspection of records: No fee for the first hour, Rs. 5 for each subsequent hour
- Information on CD/floppy/pen drive: Rs. 50 per disc
Step 5: Wait for the response
The PIO must reply within 30 days from the date of receiving your application. If the information concerns someone's life or liberty, the deadline is 48 hours.
If the PIO needs to collect information from another department, the deadline extends to 35 days. You will be informed of this in writing.
The PIO can either provide the information, reject your request (with written reasons citing specific exemptions under Section 8), or transfer your application to the correct department.
What if things go wrong
No response within 30 days — file a First Appeal
If the PIO does not respond within 30 days, or if the response is incomplete, unsatisfactory, or you believe information has been wrongly denied, file a First Appeal with the Appellate Authority of the same department. This is typically an officer senior to the PIO.
- Deadline to file: Within 30 days from the date the response was due or received
- Fee: No additional fee for the first appeal
- The Appellate Authority must decide within 30-45 days
Still unsatisfied — file a Second Appeal with the Information Commission
If the First Appeal does not resolve your issue, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) for central government bodies or the State Information Commission (SIC) for state government bodies.
- Deadline to file: Within 90 days from the Appellate Authority's decision (or from when the decision should have been made)
- For CIC: File online at cic.gov.in — the portal is now integrated with the RTI Online system, so your application and first appeal details auto-populate
- The Commission can order disclosure, award compensation, and impose penalties
PIO deliberately delays or refuses — penalty provision
Under Section 20 of the RTI Act, if the Information Commission finds that a PIO has refused a request without reasonable cause or has not provided information within the time limit, it can impose a penalty of Rs. 250 per day of delay, up to a maximum of Rs. 25,000. The Commission can also recommend disciplinary action against the officer.
Documents and resources you need
- Central RTI portal: rtionline.gov.in (Central Government only)
- State RTI portals directory: rti.gov.in/rtistatelink.asp
- Central Information Commission: cic.gov.in (for second appeals on central RTIs)
- Fee: Rs. 10 (postal order, demand draft, court fee stamp, or online payment)
- BPL exemption: Attach a photocopy of your BPL card to waive the fee
- Sample RTI letter format:
- "To: The Public Information Officer, [Department Name], [Address]"
- "Subject: Application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005"
- "I, [Your Name], resident of [Address], request the following information under the RTI Act, 2005:"
- "[Your specific questions, numbered]"
- "I am enclosing a postal order/DD of Rs. 10 as the prescribed fee."
- "Signature, Date, Contact Details"
Common myths
Myth: "You need to give a reason for seeking information." Reality: Section 6(2) of the RTI Act explicitly states that you do not need to give any reason for requesting information. The PIO cannot ask you why you want it.
Myth: "RTI only works for central government." Reality: The RTI Act applies to all levels of government — central, state, district, and local. It covers your municipal corporation, tehsil office, district collector's office, state government departments, public universities, and even government-funded NGOs.
Myth: "Government officials can ignore RTI applications." Reality: Ignoring an RTI application is a punishable offence. The PIO faces a personal penalty of Rs. 250 per day of delay, up to Rs. 25,000. Repeated non-compliance can lead to disciplinary action.
Myth: "RTI is only for activists and journalists." Reality: Anyone can file an RTI. Common uses include checking the status of a pending government application, getting copies of government orders affecting you, verifying how public funds were spent in your area, and confirming whether proper procedures were followed for a government contract.
Myth: "The government can refuse any information citing 'national security.'" Reality: Section 8 lists specific exemptions, but these are narrow. The most commonly cited ones — national security, cabinet papers, personal privacy, and commercial confidence — have clear boundaries. And under Section 8(2), even exempt information must be disclosed if the public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm. The Information Commission regularly overrules excessive secrecy claims.
The law behind this
| Legal provision | What it covers |
|---|---|
| RTI Act, Section 2(h) | Definition of "public authority" — any body established by Constitution, law, or government notification, and any body substantially financed by government |
| RTI Act, Section 3 | All citizens have the right to information |
| RTI Act, Section 6 | How to make a request — in writing or electronic means, in English, Hindi, or official language of the area, with prescribed fee |
| RTI Act, Section 7 | PIO must respond within 30 days (48 hours if life/liberty is at stake); information provided in the form requested unless it would disproportionately divert resources |
| RTI Act, Section 8 | Exemptions — national security, foreign relations, commercial confidence, cabinet papers, personal privacy, investigation records, and others (10 categories total) |
| RTI Act, Section 19(1) | First Appeal to Appellate Authority — within 30 days of response or expiry of deadline |
| RTI Act, Section 19(3) | Second Appeal to Information Commission — within 90 days |
| RTI Act, Section 20 | Penalty on PIO — Rs. 250/day up to Rs. 25,000 for unreasonable delay or denial |
Frequently asked questions
Can I file an RTI for information about a private company?
No, the RTI Act applies only to "public authorities" — government bodies and entities substantially funded by the government. However, if a private company receives significant government funding or operates under a government contract, the government body that funds or oversees it can be asked for information about the company's use of public resources.
Can I ask for information in a specific format — like photocopies or inspection of records?
Yes. Under Section 7(9), you can request information in the form of printouts, photocopies, diskettes, floppies, or any other electronic mode. You can also request to inspect documents. The PIO must provide information in the form you request, unless doing so would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority.
What happens if I file the RTI with the wrong department?
Under Section 6(3), the PIO is required to transfer your application to the correct public authority within 5 days. Your 30-day response deadline starts from the date the correct authority receives the transferred application. Your fee is not forfeited.
Can I file an RTI about court cases or judicial decisions?
You can file an RTI with courts for administrative information — such as the status of case listing, number of pending cases, details of court staff, or infrastructure spending. However, you cannot use RTI to seek information that would interfere with the judicial process or that relates to matters sub judice.
Is there any limit to how many RTI applications I can file?
There is no legal limit. You can file as many RTI applications as you need, to as many public authorities as you want. Each application requires a separate Rs. 10 fee and should be addressed to the specific PIO of the relevant department.
What if the information I receive is incomplete or incorrect?
If the response is incomplete, misleading, or you believe the PIO is withholding information, file a First Appeal with the Appellate Authority within 30 days. The Appellate Authority has the power to order the PIO to provide complete and accurate information. If this does not resolve the issue, escalate to the CIC or SIC through a Second Appeal.