A government office is not answering
How to file, what it costs, the deadlines.
When a government office will not answer, will not act, or will not tell you why, you can force a written reply for ₹10. The Right to Information Act gives every citizen this power, and you do not need a lawyer to use it.
What the law says
- Any citizen of India can file an RTI. You do not need a reason, and you do not have to explain why you want the information. They can ask for your contact details, and nothing more.
- The application fee is ₹10 for central government departments. State departments fix their own fee, usually the same or less. If you hold a BPL (Below Poverty Line) card, there is no fee at all.
- Your application goes to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the department concerned. Every public office has one, and they are bound by law to reply.
- They must reply within 30 days. If the information concerns your life or liberty, the deadline is 48 hours. No reply by the deadline is itself a violation, and you can appeal against it. If they miss the deadline, they must give you the information free. The fee no longer applies.
What to do
- 1
Write your question to the PIO
Address it to the Public Information Officer of the department you want answers from. Keep your questions specific and numbered. You can write in English, Hindi, or your state's official language. If you cannot write it yourself, you can give it orally and the officer must help you put it in writing.
- 2
Pay the ₹10 fee and send it
File online at rtionline.gov.in for central government bodies, or on your state's RTI portal. For other offices, send it by post with a ₹10 postal order, court fee stamp, or demand draft. BPL card holders pay nothing.
- 3
Wait for the reply within 30 days
The PIO must reply within 30 days, or within 48 hours if it is about your life or liberty. Keep your receipt or your online registration number. It is your proof of the date you filed.
- 4
Appeal if they do not reply, or reply badly
If there is no answer, or a useless one, file a First Appeal to the First Appellate Authority within 30 days. It is free. If you are late for a good reason, they can still accept it. If you are still stuck, a Second Appeal goes to the State or Central Information Commission. And if they refuse to accept your application at all, you can complain straight to the Information Commission. You do not need an appeal first.
Your rights
File an RTI application
- How long it takes
- Reply due within 30 days. 48 hours for life or liberty.
- Where to go
- PIO of the department, online or by post
- Cost
- ₹10. Free for BPL card holders, and free if they miss the deadline.
File online
- How long it takes
- Submitted instantly. Same 30-day clock.
- Where to go
- rtionline.gov.in for central bodies, or your state RTI portal
- Cost
- ₹10 online
First Appeal, if there is no reply or a bad one
- How long it takes
- Within 30 days of the deadline or the reply. Later, with a good reason.
- Where to go
- First Appellate Authority in the same department
- Cost
- Free
Second Appeal
- How long it takes
- Within 90 days of the first appeal decision, or of the date it was due if none came
- Where to go
- State or Central Information Commission
- Cost
- Free
Common questions
When you need a lawyer
RTI is made for ordinary people, and you almost never need a lawyer. The whole process, including both appeals, is meant to be done by yourself for ₹10. It becomes a court matter only if a public body refuses to comply even after the Information Commission orders it. That can be challenged by a writ petition in the High Court, and that is the rare case where an advocate helps. For the RTI itself, you can do it yourself.
File it yourself at rtionline.gov.in. ₹10, no lawyer needed.This is guidance, not a lawyer. Miss Lucy Lite helps you understand your rights and what to do next. She is not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. If you need a document written, such as a notice, a complaint or an application, she can write it for you as a finished document. For a court case, see a lawyer.