How to file RTI
Where to file the RTI application
For state government agencies, Public Assistant officers (PIOs) have been designated to receive RTI applications for a department. List of the Public Assistant Officers can be found from the official web-site for RTI: www.rti.gov.in
For Central government agencies, Central Assistant Public Information Officers (CAPIOs) have been designated in various Post-offices across the country. List of the CPIOs can be obtained from http://www.indiapost.gov.in/CAPIOS.aspx
If you are not able to locate the correct PIO, then you could visit the office of the department for which you want to file the RTI and enquire there. You could also address the RTI to the head of department. Even if you are submitting the RTI to a wrong department even then the PIO cannot refuse to take the RTI. It is his/her responsibility to forward the request to correct department as mentioned in the Section 6(3) of the RTI act.
(3) Where an application is made to a public authority requesting for an information,— (i) which is held by another public authority; or
(ii) the subject matter of which is more closely connected with the functions of another public authority,
the public authority, to which such application is made, shall transfer the application or such part of it as may be appropriate to that other public authority and inform the applicant immediately about such transfer:Provided that the transfer of an application pursuant to this sub-section shall be made as soon as practicable but in no case later than five days from the date of receipt of the application.However, it may take upto additional five days (because of transfer proces) for the RTI response if the application is not submitted to the correct PIO.
Wherever you submit the RTI application, remember to collect a receipt for the submission of the RTI application.
No designated PIO/APIO
If you find that there is no concerned PIO/APIO for your concerned department, then you can file Section 18 complaint with the Information commission.
Click on the following link to learn more about the section 18 complaint:
RTI Application Form
Some state governments have prescribed a form for submitting the RTIs. The form can be obtained from the web-site www.rti.gov.in.
For central government departments there is no form and the application can be submitted in writing.
While filling the application is not required to provide the reason for getting such information. He should provide only those details which is required for him to receive the RTI response, as mentioned in section 6(2) of the RTI act.
(2) An applicant making request for information shall not be required to give any reason for requesting the information or any other personal details except those that may be necessary for contacting him.However, if a person is unable to provide a request or receive the requested information in writing, then RTI act requires the PIO to assist the applicant, as specified in section 6(1) and section 7(4) of the act.
Provided that where such request cannot be made in writing, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall render all reasonable assistance to the person making the request orally to reduce the same in writing.(4) Where access to the record or a part thereof is required to be provided under this Act and the person to whom access is to be provided is sensorily disabled, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall provide assistance to enable access to the information, including providing such assistance as may be appropriate for the inspection.RTI Application Fees
The fee structure for RTI has been described in the Right to Information (Regulation of Fee & Cost) Rules, 2005 memorandum.
Click here to download Right to Information (Regulation of Fee & Cost) Rules, 2005 memorandum.
The memorandum states that:
1. A request for obtaining information under sub-section(1) of Section 6, shall be accompanied by an application fee of rupees (Rs.10/-) by way of cash against proper receipt or by demand draft or bankers cheque payable to the Accounts Officer of the public authority.2. For providing the information under sub-section (1) of Section 7, the fee shall be charged by way of cash against proper receipt or by demand draft or bankers cheque payable to the Accounts Officer of the public authority at the following rates:(a) rupees two for each page (in A-4 or A-3 size paper) created or copied;(b) actual charge or cost price of a copy in larger size paper; and(c) for inspection of records, no fee for the first hour; and a fee of rupees ten for each half an hour (or fraction thereof) thereafter.3 For providing the information under sub-section (5) of Section 7, the fee shall be charged by way of cash against proper receipt or by demand draft or bankers cheque payable to the Accounts Officer of the public authority at the following rates:-(a) for information required in diskette or floppy rupees fifty per diskette or floppy ; and(b) for information required in printed form at the price fixed for such publication or rupees two per page of photocopy for extracts from the publication.However, it is advised that applicant should visit the website www.rti.gov.in, which contains the RTI fees for each state, to determine if any other costs or modes of payments are involved or not.
Remember to take a receipt of the payment for the fees of RTI application.
Unsatisfactory RTI response
If the applicant is not satisfied with the RTI response, then the applicant can either file a RTI appeal or file a Section 18 complaint. Though it is preferred to file an appeal first before filing a complaint, but Section 18 complaint can be filed without going for an appeal first.
Click on the following links to learn more about the RTI First appeal and Section 18 complaint: