Want to know where your ward's fund went or why the road repair is stuck? Here is how to file an RTI online using the official portal in under 10 minutes.
You have seen that one crater-sized pothole outside your colony for six months. You have heard your college talk about a "development fee," but the library still has books from the 1990s. When you ask questions, you get the "system slow hai" (the system is slow) or "file processing mein hai" (the file is being processed) routine. This is gatekeeping.
The Right to Information (RTI) Act is your skeleton key. It lets you stop guessing and start knowing. You do not need a law degree or a connection in the Mantralaya to get answers. Whether it is tracking a delayed scholarship or checking how much your local MLA spent on "beautification," you just need ₹10 and a stable internet connection.
The Right to Information Act, 2005 is one of India's most powerful pieces of legislation for citizen oversight. Under Section 3, every Indian citizen has the right to information. This is not a favour from the government; it is a statutory right.
To get information, you must make a request in writing or through electronic means to the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) or State Public Information Officer (SPIO). Crucially, under Section 6(2), you do not have to give a reason for why you want the information. The officer cannot ask you for your motives; they only need your contact details to reach you.
For Central Government departments, the application fee is ₹10. If you are Below the Poverty Line (BPL), the fee is waived under the proviso to Section 7(5), provided you upload a copy of your BPL certificate. Note that the PIO might ask for additional fees later for providing copies (usually ₹2 per page) or for large files.
You cannot get information that affects national security, strategic interests, or trade secrets, or information that would cause a breach of privilege of Parliament. However, most local civic issues—like municipal budgets or university recruitment—do not fall under these exemptions.
Filing an RTI online is significantly faster than the physical "speed post" route. Here is how you navigate the Central RTI Online Portal.
Before you type a single word, you need to know who holds the data.
The PIO is not a search engine or a consultant. They will not "explain" things to you; they will only provide "records" that already exist.
MOEAF/R/E/26/00001. You will need this for all future tracking.File an RTI online if you are ready to start. If your request is about a police matter and you are facing trouble even getting a complaint heard, check our guide on How to file an FIR (and what to do if police refuse).
Browse all civic-action playbooks to learn more about how to hold the system accountable.
Even though the law is on your side, the "system" has a few classic moves to ghost you or stall your request. Here is how to handle them:
The "This is not our department" shuffle: An officer might reject your RTI saying they don't have the data.
The "Information does not exist" or "Missing File" excuse: This is common for older records or controversial projects.
The "Vague and Voluminous" trap: If you ask for "all documents related to all roads in Delhi for 10 years," they will reject it under Section 7(9), saying it would "disproportionately divert the resources" of the office.
The Payment Portal Loop: State RTI portals (especially in states like Uttar Pradesh or Bihar) often have "payment failed" errors where your ₹10 is deducted but the application isn't filed.
The "Personal Information" Shield: Officers often cite Section 8(1)(j) to hide data, claiming it's "personal."
Copy, fill in the [highlighted] bits, and send.
Copy and paste these into the "Description of Information Sought" box. Keep it under 3,000 characters for the Central Portal.
- Provide a certified copy of the work order, including the technical specifications and the "Guarantee/Maintenance Period" clause for the repair of [Name of Road/Area] conducted in [Year].
- Provide the total amount sanctioned and the total amount paid to the contractor [Name of Contractor, if known] for this work.
- Provide a copy of the "Completion Certificate" and "Measurement Book" (MB) entries submitted by the junior engineer for this specific work.
- If the road has developed potholes within the guarantee period, provide a copy of the notice issued by this department to the contractor to fix it at their own cost.
- Provide the current status of my application for [Name of Scholarship/Refund] filed on [Date] with Application ID [ID Number].
- Provide a certified copy of the "Daily Progress Report" or "File Notings" showing which officers have handled this application from the date of receipt until today.
- Provide the names and designations of the officers who were supposed to process this application as per the Citizens' Charter or department guidelines.
- Provide the reasons recorded for the delay if the application has exceeded the standard processing time of [Number of days, e.g., 30 days].
"Hello, I am calling regarding my RTI application with Registration Number [Number]. It has been 35 days and I haven't received a response. Under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, you were required to respond within 30 days. If I don't receive the info in 3 days, I will be forced to file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) and will request the Commission to impose a penalty of ₹250 per day under Section 20(1). Can you check the status, please?"
No, not directly. The RTI Act only applies to "Public Authorities" (government-owned or funded). However, you can file an RTI with the **Government Regulator** that oversees them. For example, file an RTI with the RBI to get info about a private bank, or with the Electricity Regulatory Commission for a private power discom.
Yes. The Supreme Court in *CBSE & Anr. v. Aditya Bandopadhyay & Ors. (2011)* ruled that answer sheets are "information." You can file an RTI to inspect your checked scripts or get certified copies. You don't have to pay the heavy "re-evaluation fees" the university charges; you only pay the RTI fee (₹10 + photocopy charges).
Do not argue with them. File a **First Appeal** immediately. In your appeal, provide evidence of why the info is false. If the First Appellate Authority also ignores you, the Second Appeal goes to the Information Commission, which has the power to fine the officer up to ₹25,000.
The Central RTI portal allows **3,000 characters**. If your request is longer, draft it in a Word doc, convert it to a PDF (under 1 MB), and upload it as an attachment using the "Supporting Document" option. Mention "See attached PDF for details" in the text box.
Yes. **Section 6(1)** allows requests in English, Hindi, or the official language of the area. On the Central Portal, you can type in Hindi (Devanagari script). For state portals, check the local language options.
The RTI Act does not require you to provide proof of identity beyond your name and address. However, many portals now ask for an ID upload to "verify citizenship" (since only Indians can file RTIs). While legally debatable, it's usually faster to just upload a masked Aadhaar or Voter ID than to fight the portal’s interface.
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