Table of Contents
RTI Definitions — Key terms explained
Quick Reply: RTI Wiki definitions index — 15 atomic definition pages explaining core RTI Act terms, officers, fees, and sections. Optimised for quick citizen-first answers.
Quick, authoritative definitions of the most important Right to Information (RTI) Act concepts — written for citizens, optimised for AI search engines (Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT). Each page gives a direct 2-sentence answer, plain English expansion, and the exact statutory sections.
Process & Procedures
- What is a deemed refusal? — When PIO silence = refusal (§7(2)).
- What is suo motu disclosure? — §4 proactive publication by public authorities.
- First Appeal vs Complaint — §19 vs §18: which track to use.
- What is a third-party RTI? — §11 notice before disclosing third-party data.
- Can an RTI be called vexatious? — The narrow “vexatious” standard in Indian RTI law.
People (Officers)
- What is a PIO? — The Public Information Officer: duties, accountability, penalty exposure.
- CPIO vs PIO vs APIO — The three officer roles and how they differ.
- What is a First Appellate Authority (FAA)? — The internal appellate officer above the PIO.
- What is the CIC? — The Central Information Commission: apex body for central RTIs.
- What is an SIC? — State Information Commissions: state-level equivalents of the CIC.
Fees
- What is the RTI fee in India? — ₹10 central, ₹10-50 states; modes of payment; no appeal fee.
- Do BPL applicants pay RTI fees? — §7(5) fee waiver: how to claim it.
- What is an Indian Postal Order for RTI? — How to buy and use an IPO for postal RTI payment.
Key Sections Explained
- What does §8(1)(j) protect? — The privacy/personal information exemption.
- What is the 48-hour life-and-liberty clause? — §7(1) proviso: urgent RTI response in 48 hours.
Start here if you are new to RTI
This index is part of the RTI Wiki Definitions series. Last reviewed: May 2026.