Filing an RTI application that actually gets answered

A government office is sitting on a decision, a file, or an answer you're entitled to — a pending application, a delayed benefit, a "come back next week" that never ends. The Right to Information is one of the most useful tools an ordinary citizen has, and it's genuinely something you can do yourself, without a lawyer.

What RTI lets you do

The RTI Act gives you the right to ask most public authorities for information they hold, and obliges them to answer within a set time — generally 30 days. It turns "we'll let you know" into a legal duty to respond. You don't have to explain why you want it, and the fee is small.

How to file

1. Identify the right office — the public authority that holds the information.
2. Write a clear application addressed to its Public Information Officer, asking specific, answerable questions. Precise questions get precise answers; vague ones get brushed off.
3. Pay the small fee (the amount and method vary by authority; many states have online RTI portals, and there's a central portal for central departments).
4. Keep proof of filing and note the date — the clock starts from there.

The trick that makes it work

The wording is everything. Ask for specific documents or facts ("provide the status and file notings of application no. X"), not open-ended opinions. A sharp question is hard to dodge.

If your RTI is ignored or refused, that's not the end — there's a first-appeal process. Tell Miss Lucy Lite what you're trying to find out and she'll help you frame the questions so they land.