Filing an RTI Application

Volunteer Credits: Sioux authored this article

Undocumented, Poorly Documented, or Suppressed Information

Nuances That Can Lead to the Rejection of Your RTI Application

Under the RTI Act, you are entitled to request various types of records, documents, memos, emails, advice, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, and data held in any electronic form. However, there are several nuances to be aware of that may lead to the rejection of your application:

“Asking Questions”

One provision of the RTI Act prohibits leading or interrogative questions, such as those beginning with “how” or “why.” For instance, instead of asking, “Has the BBMP issued any Standard Operating Procedure for enforcement of zoning regulations?”, you can rephrase it as, “Please provide a copy of the Standard Operating Procedure for enforcement of zoning regulations, if so issued.”

Note that under the RTI Act, you cannot request a justification for actions taken by a public authority. For example, “Why did you choose to repair Road A instead of fixing Pavement B?” or “How did you arrive at the conclusion that Project A should be prioritized over Project B?” can be reframed as: “Please provide the detailed Project Reports for Project A and Project B, if such reports have been prepared.”

Asking Multiple Questions

A common reason for rejecting RTI queries is the claim that only one question is allowed per application. This is incorrect. As long as the questions relate to the same subject matter, multiple questions are permitted in one RTI application. The key is that the queries must be connected and pertain to the same issue. However, this can be subjective. Instead of appealing a rejection, which can be time-consuming, it may be better to file separate RTI applications.

“Asking for Private Information”

Your RTI application can sometimes be rejected on the unfounded claim that you are seeking private information. If this happens, file an appeal to clarify that the information you seek does not fall under the category of private information and should be disclosed.

“Asking vague questions”

It’s essential to do your groundwork before filing an RTI application. For example, if you’re requesting details about a sanctioned building plan, provide specific details such as the “Property ID” number and “Layout Permission” number to the town planning office. The more specific your request, the less likely it is to be rejected on the grounds of vagueness. Similarly, when inquiring about the functioning of an NGO, provide details such as their registration number and the authority with whom they were registered before approaching the relevant authority.

Partial Exemptions: Requirement to Provide Non-Exempt Information

Where only part of the information requested is exempted, the public authority is obligated to provide the information that isn’t exempted. The RTI application cannot be rejected in totality.

Information exempt from the provisions of the RTI Act are:

Any information that could threaten the security, or strategic / financial interests of the country would be exempt.
Information relating to trade secrets or intellectual property
Information forbidden from being disclosed by a Court of Law.
Information that is not in the public interest. Eg, asking for the service records of a government servant.

Note

If the public authority already has an established mechanism for applying for a certified copy of a document, you must use that process. If there’s a delay in getting the information, you can follow up through the RTI. For instance, if the sub-registrar office demands a large fee to provide a certified copy of an agreement, you cannot use the RTI to bypass this process and obtain the document at a lower cost.
Specify the Time Period for Information: Sometimes you just need a particular document, so it is adequate to give the documents number. If the information you are requesting spans a time period, make sure to specify the exact time frame, such as “for the period 1st Jan 2021 until today.”

Other ways public authorities can dodge providing information

Reluctance to Provide Information Without Follow-Up

More often than not, Public Information Officers (PIOs) may be reluctant to provide the requested information unless you persistently follow up. While there are mechanisms like appeals to the appellate authority or the State Information Commission to hold PIOs accountable, these processes are generally time-consuming. As a result, following up directly with the PIO is often a more practical approach.

Short Notice for Appeals

When appeals are filed, the notice period given to the appellant (RTI applicant) to attend the hearing is often very short—sometimes less than 12 hours. In such cases, you can email the relevant authority requesting adequate notice and ask to reschedule the hearing to a more convenient date. The contact email varies by public authority, but they will usually contact you with the appeal details, at which point you can request the email address. If they simply email the hearing time, you’ll automatically receive the email address.

Providing Incorrect Information

Another tactic authorities use to avoid fulfilling an RTI request is providing incorrect information, hoping that applicants won’t scrutinize the response carefully enough to identify the errors. If you face this, be sure to file an appeal with the appellate authority of the concerned public authority to resolve the issue.

Overwhelming Applicants with Excessive Information

Occasionally, public authorities may try to overwhelm applicants by providing excessive information, making the request cost-prohibitive. For example, one RTI application resulted in a demand for thousands of rupees due to the volume of information. However, they failed to mention that if the same information was provided in a soft-copy format, the cost would only be Rs. 50, as per the rules.

Finding the Correct Authority to file an RTI Application

Karnataka State Authorities

RTI applications for authorities like BESCOM, BBMP, and government departments under the Karnataka Government can be filed at the RTI portal of the Government of Karnataka.

One major challenge is identifying the correct ‘Public Authority’ or department to file your RTI application with. Irrespective of the Department you are writing to, under ‘Public Authority’, please select ‘Secretariat – Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms(DPAR e-Gov)’ (you can find them by searching for ‘DPAR’). This department manages RTI coordination and can forward your request to the appropriate department. Also, please include this text to ensure that your RTI is directed to the correct department:

As per Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, 2005, if the requested information is held by another public authority, I request the PIO to transfer the application (or relevant part of it) within FIVE days and inform me of the transfer immediately.

Central Authorities

If your RTI application is for a central government authority (e.g., Ministry of Corporate Affairs), you should file it at the RTI portal of the Central Government.

Irrespective of the Department you are writing to, under ‘Public Authority’, please select ‘Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (CISU e-Governance)’ – please search using ‘Reforms’ as the keyword (searching for ‘CISU’ won’t show this result). This department manages RTI coordination and can forward your request to the appropriate department.

Also, please include this text to ensure that your RTI is directed to the correct department:

The application process on both portals is similar. As long as the information that you seek is clear and specific, you will get an adequate response to your application.

How to distinguish between central and state authorities?

You can use the department website suffix:
- .gov.in indicates a central department.
- .karnataka.gov.in indicates a state department.

Explicitly Ask for details of the First Appellate Authority

Please quote this section of the RTI Act in your application you are informed about whom to approach if your application is rejected or if the response is unsatisfactory and you wish to appeal.

As per Sections 7(8)(iii) and 7(3)(ii) of the RTI Act, 2005, I request the PIO to provide details of the First Appellate Authority.

Other things to note

Character restrictions

The text must be under 3,000 characters (including spaces).
The application does not accept the following characters: ‘ ” ; + * = > < ! [ ] { } ~ ^ \
- Common special characters: ‘ ” ; (single apostrophe, double apostrophe, semicolon) – For example, use “I am requesting” instead of “I’m requesting.”
- Mathematical operators: + * = > < !
- Square & curly brackets: [ ] { }
- Other restricted symbols: ~ ^ ` (tilde, caret, backtick, backslash)
Use the following prompt to ask ChatGPT whether any of these special characters appear in a given text: “Check if the string ‘Insert the text of your application here‘ contains any of the following special characters: {‘ ” ; + * = > < ! [ ] { } ~ ^ }. Respond with the specific word that has the special character. If the text does not contain any of the listed special characters, respond with ‘No’.”

Uploading documents

The document must be a single PDF and less than 1MB in size. If you have multiple PDFs, merge them using an online tool like this one. You can compress the file if it exceeds 1MB by using free services available online, such as from Adobe
The PDF file name cannot contain spaces. Only letters, numbers, dot (.), underscore (_), and dash (-) are allowed.

Templates

Sample Online RTI for Delay in Service

I applied for an Encumbrance Certificate at the <Name of the Sub-Registrar Office>

I request the following information under the Right to Information Act, 2005:

The current status of my Encumbrance Certificate application.
The reason for the delay in issuance of the certificate.
The details of the officer responsible for processing my application.
The expected timeline for issuance of the certificate.
A copy of any internal correspondence or file notings related to my application.

As per the Section 6 (3) of the RTI Act, where an application is made to a public authority requesting for an information which is held by another public authority; or 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.

As per Sections 7(8)(iii) and 7(3)(ii) of the RTI Act, 2005, I request the PIO to provide details of the First Appellate Authority.

The above information be kindly provided to this e-mail <enter your email address here >

RTI fee of Rs 10 has been paid through RTI portal

Applicant Details:

Name: [Your Full Name]
Application Number: [Your Application Number]
Date of Application: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Contact Details: [Your Phone/Email]
Additional Text [If you prefer you can include additional details here.However, please note the character restrictions.Additionally, there are several nuances to filing an application, and if these are not followed correctly, the application may be rejected.]

Sample physical RTI application

Attached is an application template and sample physical RTI application with postal order

Offline RTI application format Download

Physical RTI example with postal order Download

General caveats

You can file an RTI application either online or offline (hard copy).

Once you submit the RTI application online, please save a soft copy of your RTI application for future reference. The RTI portal allows you to save a soft copy of your application.

Similarly, when submitting an offline/hard-copy RTI application, ensure you take two copies and request an acknowledgment of submission. The acknowledgment should include the office seal, the recipient’s signature, and the date of receipt. This serves as proof of submission, which is crucial in case the application gets misplaced.

Information you might find elsewhere

What exactly is this “Right To Information”?

In most cases, it relates to the (1) Right to inspect work, documents, records; (2) Right to take notes or requesting certified copies of documents; (3) Right to obtain copies in electronic format, where information is stored in such format.

How does filing an RTI application help?

To unclog government processes – If any of your tasks are being unnecessarily delayed by any government office, you have the right to file an RTI application asking them to explain why they are delaying processing any application or task that you may have approached them with. This forces accountability.
To procure copies of documents that are admissible in court as evidence – Let’s say someone wants to proceed against any illegal construction activity in their immediate vicinity, they could approach the Town Planning office for certified copies of the sanctioned building plans. These documents are accepted by courts as valid documents without requiring any further corroboration.
To expose systemic inefficiencies – If you are aware of any institution that is not operating in the manner that it should, then you could file RTI applications in order to document this. Recently we exposed the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal for accepting cases even though they didn’t have the power to do so, all thanks to the RTI documents that they had provided under the RTI Act. Ultimately the BBMP Chief Commissioner came on record and declared such acceptance of cases as a criminal offence.
To expose corruption and ensure transparency of the government – The RTI Act has been instrumental in exposing many acts of corruption of the government especially in matters of property allotment or welfare-scheme disbursement. Before the RTI Act, there was no robust system through which a citizen of India could claim access to such information as a matter of right.

Can the RTI Act help me eliminate corruption and inefficiency from the system?

While the RTI Act is useful, it has its limitations. It is not a silver bullet in taking on corruption, but can function as an important piece of the puzzle in taking on systemic corruption and bureaucratic inefficiencies. Eradicating corruption requires broader changes in legislation and the judiciary. What the RTI does is that it makes it easier to go after smaller instances of maladministration, and is used as a potent inconvenience to offending officers. They’re more inconvenienced by it which would lead to them doing there work, but they will still continue being corrupt to others.

Who can file an application under the RTI act?

Any citizen of India can file an application under the RTI Act. If you file the application in the name of a company/trust/society it need not be considered as a valid application under the provisions of the RTI Act.

Can an individual file an application under the RTI Act anonymously?

No. You will need to provide your name, address, and phone number while making the application. This is so that the information that you have sought can be sent to you.

What is the time limit for responding to an RTI application?

30 days.

How much does it cost to make an RTI application under the Act?

Every RTI application must include a payment of Rs. 10/- either through online payment for digital applications or a postal pay order (available at most post offices) for physical applications. Applicants below the poverty line are exempt from this fee.

Are there any additional document charges under the RTI act

If the requested documents are extensive, the public authority may charge Rs. 2/- per page for the documents provided. Applicants below the poverty line are exempt from this fee for the first 100 pages. For information provided as a soft copy, a flat fee of Rs. 50/- applies.

How can I track the status of the RTI application

You can check the status of your RTI application on the RTI portal. Use the email address and phone number provided during the application process to access the status updates.
After submitting your application, it is routed to the appropriate Public Information Officer (PIO). You may see an update such as:”REQUEST TRANSFERRED TO OTHER PIO as on 15/07/2025. Note: You are advised to contact the above mentioned officer (email and phone number are provided) for further details.”
- This is not the final status; it simply indicates that your RTI has been forwarded to the relevant authority. Contacting them usually doesn’t help. Please wait for 30 days from the date of transfer, and then file an appeal if no response is received.

Appeal Process

If the response to your RTI application is unsatisfactory, you can file two levels of appeal through the RTI portal. Both appeals are free of charge. However, you must be physically present at the public authority’s office during office hours for each appeal.

If you opt for an offline appeal, it will follow the same documentary procedure as the initial application, but no additional pay order is required.

First Appeal: This is made to the appellate authority within the same public authority. For example, if you filed an RTI with BBMP and are dissatisfied with the response, you can file a first appeal within BBMP. The RTI Act mandates the appointment of an appellate authority, typically an officer handling this role alongside their other duties.
Second Appeal: If you’re still unsatisfied after the first appeal, you can appeal to the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, depending on the case.