RTI Application Filing: Get Answers From Government Offices
An RTI application is a written request under the Right to Information Act, 2005 for records held by a government body. The office must reply within 30 days. We identify the right authority, word the questions so they get answers, file the request and track the reply and any appeal.
What it is
The Right to Information Act, 2005 lets any citizen of India ask a public authority for information it holds: files, notings, inspection reports, orders, the status of an application. Under Section 6, you apply in writing or electronically, and you do not have to give a reason.
The office’s Public Information Officer (PIO) must reply within 30 days under Section 7(1), or within 48 hours where a life or liberty question is involved. For central government bodies you can file at rtionline.gov.in. State bodies run their own portals or take paper applications under state rules.
Who it applies to
You are waiting on a government decision
A licence, a refund, a registration, a pension or a scholarship has stalled. An RTI asks for the file status, the officer holding it and the reason for the delay in writing.
You need a record you cannot get otherwise
A Faridabad exporter whose claim has sat with a central office for months may want the file status and the name of the officer holding it. Once you have the record, our GST notice reply and income tax notice reply services can use it in your response.
You want to check what was done on a complaint
You complained and heard nothing. An RTI asks for the action taken report and the date of each step. If the record shows a lapse that cost you, a legal notice may be the next step.
Why it matters
A written answer on record
A reply on official letterhead is evidence. You can attach it to an appeal, a representation or a court filing. A phone assurance cannot go on file.
A legal clock, not a favour
The 30-day limit is statutory. Silence beyond it is treated as refusal under Section 7(2), and the officer faces penalty exposure under Section 20.
A free route to escalate
If the reply is wrong or missing, a first appeal to a senior officer costs nothing at the central level, and a second appeal to the Information Commission follows.
Documents required
About the applicant
- Name, postal address, mobile and email
- A self-declaration that you are an Indian citizen
- BPL certificate, only if claiming the fee exemption
About the request
- Name of the department and the PIO, if known
- Subject, period and reference or application number
- Copies of earlier letters, acknowledgements or receipts
Fee and payment
- ₹10 application fee for central bodies
- Online payment, demand draft, banker’s cheque or postal order as the rules allow
- Later copy charges when the PIO sends a demand
How it works
Choose the right authority
We work out which department holds the record. In practice, this decides whether central or state rules apply. A request sent to the wrong office is transferred under Section 6(3) within five days, but that costs time.
Frame specific questions
Ask for records, dates and file notings, not opinions. Here is the catch: “Why was my case delayed?” invites a one-line non-answer. “Provide the dated file notings on application no. X” gets you paper.
File and pay
We submit the application with the fee, on rtionline.gov.in for central bodies or as the state rules provide, and send you the registration number.
Track, then appeal if needed
We diarise day 30. If the reply is missing or incomplete, we prepare the first appeal, and the second appeal if that fails.
Timelines
Reply: 30 days
The PIO replies within 30 days of receipt, or within 48 hours where life or liberty is at stake.
First appeal: 30 days
File within 30 days of the reply, or of the date it was due. The appellate authority decides within 30 days, extendable to 45 for recorded reasons.
Second appeal: 90 days
Go to the Central or State Information Commission within 90 days of the first-appeal order or the date it was due.
What happens if the department misses the deadline
Deemed refusal
Under Section 7(2), no reply in time is treated as refusal. That opens your right to a first appeal, without waiting further.
Penalty on the officer
Section 20 allows the Information Commission to penalise a PIO ₹250 for each day of delay, up to ₹25,000, for delay or refusal without reasonable cause.
Your own deadline
If you miss the appeal window, the appellate authority can still admit a late appeal if you show sufficient reason. Do not count on it; file on time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fee for an RTI application?
The application fee is ₹10 for central government authorities. Copies cost ₹2 per A4 page, inspection is free for the first hour and ₹5 for each later hour, and appeals carry no fee. Applicants below the poverty line are exempt with a BPL certificate. State rules set their own fees, and we confirm the exact amount before we file.
Who can file an RTI application?
Only a citizen of India can file. The Act does not give companies, firms or associations the right, so the application goes in an individual citizen’s name even when the business needs the answer. We prepare it in your name, and you sign it. Foreign nationals cannot use the Act directly.
Do I have to give a reason for asking?
No. Section 6(2) says you need not give any reason for requesting information or any personal detail other than what is needed to contact you. State what you want clearly, and keep the request tied to records, not motives. A short, specific request is harder to refuse or delay.
Can the department refuse my request?
Yes, on the grounds in Section 8(1), such as national security, information held in a fiduciary relationship or personal information with no public interest. Section 7 requires the PIO to give written reasons and appeal details when refusing. Ask for records about the office’s own action, not about private individuals, and you avoid most refusals.
How long does an RTI reply take?
Thirty days from receipt under Section 7(1), or 48 hours when the question concerns a person’s life or liberty. If the request is transferred to another authority, the transfer is made within five days. The reply, a refusal with reasons or a fee demand should arrive in that window, and silence counts as refusal.
What if I get no reply or an incomplete one?
File a first appeal with the senior officer named in the reply within 30 days of the reply, or of the date it was due. There is no fee at the central level. If that fails, the second appeal goes to the Information Commission within 90 days. We draft both.
Can I file RTI online?
For central ministries, departments and public authorities, yes, on rtionline.gov.in, paying by net banking, cards or UPI. State government bodies are not covered by that portal, so they use their own online systems or paper applications under state rules. We tell you which route applies to your authority.
Can Taxhint file the RTI for me?
We draft the application, identify the right PIO, file it with your signed authority and track the reply. The application remains in your name because only a citizen can file. We do not appear before an Information Commission as an advocate. If a hearing needs one, a practising advocate appears.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Government fees are small and fixed by the RTI Rules, 2012 for central bodies. State rules may differ.
| Item | Central fee |
|---|---|
| Application | ₹10 |
| Copies, per A4 or A3 page | ₹2 |
| Inspection of records | First hour free, ₹5 for each later hour |
| First and second appeal | No fee |
| BPL applicants | Exempt with certificate |
Ready to begin?
Tell us which office, which matter and what you need to see. We will draft the request and quote the cost before you commit.