Table of Contents

Lost RTI application — PIO liability — CIC

Central Information Commission · 2020-01-01 · Citation awaited

'Lost application' excuse fails; §5+§7 impose a tracking duty on the public authority.

Case details

Court Central Information Commission
Decided 2020-01-01
Citation Citation awaited
Petitioner RTI applicant
Respondent Public authority
RTI Act sections §5, §7, §20
Outcome Applicant allowed

Outcome

A misplaced / lost RTI application is no defence; public authority has a §5-read-with-§7 duty to track.

Ratio decidendi

A public authority's inability to locate a received RTI application does not excuse §7 non-response. §5 read with §7 imposes a minimum duty to maintain a receipt register and to be able to track any application. Repeated 'lost' excuses attract §20 liability for the designated PIO / Head of Institution.

Keywords

lost application, receipt register, CIC, §5

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Editorial summary · last reviewed 21 April 2026.