सूचना का अधिकार — अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्न
Everything you need to know about the Right to Information Act — filing applications, fees, appeal process, exemptions, and penalties. Based on our experience of 3,000+ RTI applications across Haryana.
Write a simple application on plain paper addressed to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the concerned department. Include your name, address, specific information sought, and preferred mode of response. Pay Rs. 50 fee for Haryana State departments. Submit by post, in person, or online. No specific format is mandatory. You can write in English, Hindi, or Punjabi.
Yes. For Central Government departments, use rtionline.gov.in. Many Haryana departments also accept online RTI through the state portal. Payment can be made digitally. Online filing provides an instant acknowledgment number for tracking.
Central Government: Rs. 10. Haryana State: Rs. 50. BPL card holders are fully exempted from all fees (attach BPL certificate copy). Additional charges: photocopies Rs. 2/page, CDs Rs. 50/disc.
No. Section 6(2) of the RTI Act explicitly states that an applicant shall not be required to give any reason for requesting information. The PIO cannot ask why you need it or what you plan to do with it.
Normal cases: 30 days. Life and liberty matters: 48 hours. If application is transferred to another department, 30 days from transfer date. Third party information: 40 days.
Non-response is deemed refusal. File a First Appeal before the First Appellate Authority (senior to PIO) within 30 days. No fee required. If still unresolved, file Second Appeal before the State/Central Information Commission within 90 days.
Write to the officer senior to the PIO within the same department within 30 days of refusal/expiry. No fee required. Attach copy of original RTI and any reply received. The Appellate Authority must decide within 30-45 days.
For Haryana: file before Haryana State Information Commission (SIC). For Central: file before Central Information Commission (CIC). Within 90 days of First Appeal order. Include copies of all previous correspondence.
Under Section 20: Rs. 250 per day of delay, up to Rs. 25,000 maximum. The Information Commission can also recommend disciplinary action. Penalties apply when the PIO refuses to accept RTI, fails to respond in time, malafidely denies information, gives incorrect information, or destroys information.
Section 8 exemptions include: national security, court-prohibited information, cabinet papers, commercial confidence, fiduciary relationship, foreign government information, information endangering life, investigation impeding information, and unrelated personal information. However, the public interest override applies, and information about corruption and human rights violations can never be withheld.
RTI directly applies to public authorities. However, private organizations receiving substantial government funding can be brought under RTI. Information about private entities held by a public authority can be sought from that authority.
Police: Yes, fully covered. You can seek FIR status, crime statistics, expenditure data. Ongoing investigation details may be exempt under Section 8(1)(h). Judiciary: Yes, the office of CJI falls under RTI. Administrative information is accessible; judicial decision-making processes are generally exempt.
Be specific — ask for documents, not opinions. One department per application. Use Section 6(3) transfer provision if unsure which department holds information. Number your questions. Keep records of everything. Based on our experience of 3,000+ RTI applications.
Yes. RTI responses are official documents with evidentiary value. Many PIL and writ petition cases are built on RTI evidence. Ensure the reply is properly authenticated (stamped and signed by PIO).
No fee for First Appeal. For Second Appeal before the Information Commission, procedures vary but generally no fee is charged.
From drafting precise RTI applications to pursuing Second Appeals before the Information Commission.