No reason needed
You do not have to say why you want the information, only how to contact you.
RTI Act 2005, s.6(2)Know your rights
Right to Information (RTI)
Any citizen can ask a government office for records: file notes, rules, spending, status of an application. You do not have to give a reason.
Last updated: Reviewed by IndiaDigital editorsSources
In 30 seconds
Write to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the office with a ₹10 fee (central offices: online at rtionline.gov.in; states have their own rules and portals). Reply is due in 30 days, or 48 hours if it concerns someone’s life or liberty. No reply or a poor one? First appeal within 30 days to the senior officer named as First Appellate Authority, then a second appeal within 90 days to the Information Commission.
Call for help
Your rights
Time limits
30 days for a reply; 48 hours where it concerns life or liberty; 5 more days if filed through an Assistant PIO.
s.7(1)Fee
₹10 for central public authorities. People below the poverty line pay no fee. States set their own fees.
s.7(5); RTI Rules 2012First and second appeal
First appeal within 30 days to the First Appellate Authority; second appeal within 90 days to the Central or State Information Commission.
s.19(1), 19(3)Penalty on the PIO
The Commission can fine a PIO ₹250 a day, up to ₹25,000, for refusing or delaying without reason.
s.20Personal information (2025 change)
From November 2025 the DPDP Act replaced section 8(1)(j): information that "relates to personal information" can be refused. This change is under challenge in the Supreme Court. Ask for records about public work and your own case; avoid other people’s private details.
RTI s.8(1)(j) as amended by DPDP Act 2023, s.44(3)What to do, step by step
Find the right office
Write to the office that holds the record. If you send it to the wrong one, they must transfer it within 5 days.
Ask clear, short questions
Ask for copies of documents, file notings, or status, with dates. Avoid "why" questions.
Pay ₹10 and send
Online for central offices, or by post with an IPO, DD or court fee stamp as your state allows. Keep proof.
Track the 30 days
No reply by day 30 counts as refusal. File the first appeal (our draft helps).
Second appeal
If the first appeal fails, go to the Information Commission within 90 days.
Letters and tools that help
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws and state rules change; check the official source or ask a lawyer. Free legal aid: call NALSA 15100 or visit your District Legal Services Authority.
Questions people ask
Can I file RTI online for state offices?
Many states have their own RTI portals; others accept only post or hand delivery. rtionline.gov.in is for central ministries and bodies.
Can a private company be asked under RTI?
Not directly. You can ask the government regulator that holds information about the company (for example a ministry or regulator).
Sources
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