Your first appeal to the First Appellate Authority (FAA) has either been dismissed, been decided against you, or the FAA simply didn't reply in 45 days. The next step is a second appeal to the Central Information Commission (for central government public authorities) or the State Information Commission (for state authorities). This is where real teeth enter the process — the Information Commission can impose penalties of ₹250/day up to ₹25,000 on the errant PIO, recommend disciplinary action, and award compensation. This guide walks you through the CIC's online portal step by step, with a petition template and a complete document checklist.
Direct answer. File a second appeal at dsscic.nic.in within 90 days of the FAA's order (or the date the FAA should have decided but didn't). Upload the original RTI application, the PIO's reply, the FAA appeal and order, and your petition. The Commission issues notices, holds hearings (usually by video), and can award information disclosure + penalty + compensation in a single order.
| Central (CIC) | State (SIC) | |
| Authority | Central govt ministries, PSUs, banks nationalised under central law, all-India services | State govt depts, municipalities, cooperatives, state universities, state PSUs |
| Portal | dsscic.nic.in | Each state has its own portal — check your state SIC website |
| Postal address | Central Information Commission, August Kranti Bhavan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi 110 066 | State SIC office — check state government website |
| Fee | Free (online) | Free at most state SICs; some charge a nominal ₹50 fee |
If you are unsure which authority covers your case, check the public authority's parent ministry. “Central government” almost always = CIC. State government = SIC of that state.
Gather all of the following before you start the online filing:
All documents should be in PDF format, each file ideally under 3 MB.
BEFORE THE CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
(Under Section 19(3) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)
PETITION FOR SECOND APPEAL
Appellant: [Your full name]
[Postal address]
[Mobile / email]
Respondent: The Public Information Officer,
[Name of public authority]
[Address of public authority]
AND
The First Appellate Authority,
[Name of public authority]
[Address of public authority]
Application No.: [Original RTI registration number]
Date of RTI application: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Date of PIO reply / deemed refusal: [DD/MM/YYYY or "No reply received"]
Date of first appeal to FAA: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Date of FAA order: [DD/MM/YYYY or "No order received within 45 days"]
PETITION
The appellant most respectfully submits:
1. Background
The appellant filed RTI Application No. [REF] dated [DATE] with the PIO
of [Public Authority], requesting the following information:
[PASTE ORIGINAL QUESTIONS VERBATIM]
2. PIO's response
[Choose the applicable one:]
(a) Deemed refusal: The PIO did not reply within the 30-day statutory
period. The last date for compliance was [DATE]. No reply, extension
notice, or transfer notice was received. The silence constitutes a
deemed refusal under Section 7(2) of the RTI Act.
OR
(b) Wrongful refusal: The PIO by order dated [DATE] refused to supply
the information citing [state the ground given by PIO, e.g.,
"Section 8(1)(j) — personal privacy"]. The refusal is illegal for
the following reasons: [state 1–2 key reasons briefly].
3. First appeal
The appellant filed a first appeal before the FAA dated [DATE].
[Choose the applicable one:]
(a) No order: The FAA has not passed any order as on the date of this
petition despite the 45-day statutory period having elapsed on [DATE].
OR
(b) Adverse order: The FAA, by order dated [DATE], dismissed the appeal /
upheld the PIO's refusal without adequate reasoning / directed
disclosure of only [partial information]. The order is erroneous
because: [state 1–2 reasons].
4. Grounds for second appeal
(a) The PIO / FAA has violated Sections [7(1) / 7(2) / 19(1) / 19(6),
as applicable] of the RTI Act, 2005.
(b) The public authority bears the burden of proving that a refusal is
justified under Section 19(5); that burden has not been discharged.
(c) [Add specific additional ground, e.g., "The information sought
relates to the expenditure of public funds and cannot be withheld."]
5. Relief sought
The appellant humbly requests this Hon'ble Commission to:
(a) Direct the PIO to supply the information sought in the original RTI
application within 15 days.
(b) Impose penalty under Section 20(1) of the RTI Act on the PIO for
[deemed refusal / unjustified refusal / malicious withholding] at
₹250 per day of default, up to the maximum of ₹25,000.
(c) Recommend disciplinary action against the PIO under Section 20(2)
for [persistent non-compliance / mala fide refusal], as the
Commission deems fit.
(d) Award compensation under Section 19(8)(b) if the delay has caused
the appellant demonstrable detriment.
(e) Pass such other order as this Hon'ble Commission deems fit in the
interest of justice.
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Signature: ___________________
[Your full name]
[Address]
List of documents enclosed / uploaded:
1. RTI application dated [DATE]
2. Fee payment receipt
3. PIO reply / postal track proof of non-reply
4. First appeal letter dated [DATE]
5. FAA order / proof of non-receipt of FAA order
State government / SIC second appeal. Replace “Central Information Commission” with the name of your state's Information Commission (e.g., “Maharashtra State Information Commission”). Replace “dsscic.nic.in” with the state SIC's portal URL. The petition structure is identical; the Act provisions are the same. Some states have slightly different online filing forms.
No PIO reply at all (two levels of silence). In grounds 3(a) use “No order received,” and in section 2 use the deemed-refusal ground. Attach postal tracking printout or portal screenshot as evidence.
Partially satisfied first appeal. If the FAA directed disclosure of some information but not all, this is a “partially adverse” FAA order. File a second appeal only about the still-refused portions.
Seeking compensation. Include Section 19(8)(b) in the relief. State specifically what loss or detriment you suffered as a result of the delay — e.g., “missed application deadline,” “loss of employment opportunity,” “additional professional fees.”
In 2023–24, average pendency at the CIC was approximately 12–18 months for new appeals. Some benches are faster. Hearings are mostly video-based now, which has reduced delays. Some states (Maharashtra SIC, Rajasthan SIC) have shorter wait times. Expedited hearing is available if you can show urgency (e.g., information needed before a statutory deadline).
Yes. Section 19(3) allows a second appeal if the FAA “has failed to make a decision.” The 45-day period (30 days + possible 15-day extension) constitutes the failure deadline. You do not need a formal rejection — the absence of a decision is itself the trigger.
No lawyer is required. The CIC/SIC is designed for self-representation. In practice, the hearing is brief (often 15–30 minutes per case) and most commissioners are comfortable with lay applicants. You can also authorise a third party (advocate or otherwise) to appear on your behalf by submitting an authorisation letter.
Write to the public authority's head citing the CIC order and the date by which compliance was directed. If still no compliance, file a contempt/non-compliance complaint with the CIC online portal. The CIC can issue a show-cause notice to the PIO and ultimately recommend disciplinary action through the ministry.
Yes. Section 20 penalty and Section 19(8) compensation are separate reliefs that can be sought together in the same petition. State both in your “relief sought” section.