File RTI in Tamil Nadu — 2026 guide

Tamil Nadu has NO application fee for RTI — a unique advantage among Indian states. State RTIs are filed in person or by post to the department concerned; accepted in Tamil, Hindi or English under §4(3). The Tamil Nadu State Information Commission (TNSIC) sits at Chennai, with regional support at Madurai. Average response time 25-40 days. Central Government RTIs use rtionline.gov.in with the standard Rs 10 fee.

Tamil Nadu is one of four Indian states with zero RTI application fee (the others: Manipur, Sikkim, some circumstances in Meghalaya). Only copy fees of Rs 2 per A4 page apply if copies are requested; inspection of records is free for the first hour.

Central Government RTIs filed in Tamil Nadu still use rtionline.gov.in with the standard Rs 10 Central fee.

• Main bench: Kamarajar Salai, Chennai-600009
• Website: https://tnsic.tn.gov.in (Tamil / English)
• Second Appeal: by post or in person within 90 days of FAA decision

• Tamil filing: under §4(3) and state policy, Tamil-language RTIs are fully accepted.
• In-person filing: most State departments still prefer in-person submission with stamped acknowledgement; post is also valid.
• Department-specific portals: some TN departments (Revenue, Education) have online submission forms; these are convenience layers — paper filing remains valid.
• GCC online: Greater Chennai Corporation has an online RTI form for municipal matters.
• Tamil Nadu e-Sevai: peripheral tracking for some department RTIs.

Template 1 — Patta transfer / chitta records (Revenue Department)

Kindly provide the following information under the RTI Act, 2005:

1. Copy of the patta transfer application for Survey No. [SF No.],
   [Village], [Taluk], [District], dated [date].
2. Copy of the chitta / adangal entries for the said survey number
   for the years [range].
3. Current status of the transfer — pending, approved, rejected.
4. Copy of the Tahsildar's order if passed.

Template 2 — GCC property-tax records

Kindly provide the following information under the RTI Act, 2005:

1. Copy of the property-tax assessment for Assessment No.
   [AN], Ward [ward no.], Greater Chennai Corporation, for
   the years [range].
2. Copies of any revision / correction notices issued.
3. Current dues and payment history.
4. Copy of the mutation / name-change application if filed.

Template 3 — Education Department — teacher posting

Kindly provide the following information under the RTI Act, 2005:

1. Copy of the posting / transfer order of [designation, name or
   "any teacher"] at [School name], [Block], [District], dated [date].
2. Criteria / transfer policy applied.
3. Statement of teacher transfers in [District] for the academic
   year [year] by cadre.
4. Vacancy position in the said school by subject.

• “Not a citizen” — you are; §3 of the RTI Act applies. Your Indian voter card or Aadhaar (if offered) is proof of citizenship.
• “Use e-Sevai portal” — e-Sevai is optional; paper RTI is a statutory right. Ask the PIO to cite which provision mandates portal filing.
• “Records with another department” — §6(3) requires transfer within 5 days; demand the transfer letter.
• “§8(1)(j) personal information” — post-DPDP 2025, check if the information truly concerns another individual. Public-authority action records are not personal.

• Public servants' asset disclosure — Madras HC 2024 — post-Deshpande
• §6(2) no-motive rule — Madras HC 2013
• §20 penalty — Madras HC 2020 — specific mala fide required
• Municipal works — TN SIC 2021 — §4 works register disclosure
• Right to be heard at FAA / Commission — Madras HC 2020

Q1: Is RTI truly free in Tamil Nadu? Yes — zero application fee. Only copy fees (Rs 2/page) and inspection fees (beyond first hour) apply.

Q2: Can I file RTI in Tamil? Yes. §4(3) permits local-language filing; Tamil is fully accepted.

Q3: How long does an RTI reply take in Tamil Nadu? 25-40 days for most matters; 30-50 days for GCC and Home Department.

Q4: Can an NRI file RTI? Only Indian citizens under §3. OCI card-holders don't have direct standing.

Q5: Where is Tamil Nadu SIC? Chennai — Kamarajar Salai. Website: tnsic.tn.gov.in.

Q6: Is there an online RTI portal for the Tamil Nadu government? No single unified portal. Individual departments (Revenue e-Sevai, GCC online) offer their own forms. Paper RTI to the department is the statutorily valid path everywhere.

• Public Servants' Assets Disclosure — Madras HC 2024 — Public-servant asset lists protected under §8(1)(j); public interest must be specifically pleaded.
• BARC TRP and DD audience data — Madras HC — Public-broadcaster audience data OK; BARC TRP methodology §8(1)(d); aggregate ratings disclosable.
• Pension sanction delay — Madras HC — Pension sanction delay: FAA may direct release + cite PIO §20 exposure; structural remedy under §19(8)(a).
• Municipal works records — Tamil Nadu SIC — Municipal works register + tender + completion records: §4(1)(b) proactive disclosure.
• §20 penalty — Madras HC clarifications — §20 penalty requires specific mala-fide or persistent-negligence finding; formal 30-day delay alone is insufficient.
• Applicant's right to be heard at FAA / Commission — Madras HC — Applicant's right to be heard at FAA / IC — adverse orders passed ex parte are liable to be set aside.
• Defying Commission order — Madras HC — Willful defiance of Commission direction is contempt — actionable via Art.215 HC jurisdiction.
• Section 20 penalty on PIO for deliberate delay — Madras HC 2020 — Deliberate PIO delay without recorded reasonable cause attracts the full §20(1) penalty.

Browse the full case-law database — 362 curated rulings and filter by court / section / keyword.

• State-wise RTI Guide India 2026 — Rules, Fees, Commissions, Portals — discovered via internal-link audit 2026-04-24

• Pan-India: File RTI online
• File RTI in Maharashtra
• File RTI in Karnataka
• RTI fees by State — full table

• Tamil Nadu SIC: https://tnsic.tn.gov.in
• Tamil Nadu e-Sevai: https://tnesevai.tn.gov.in
• Greater Chennai Corporation: https://chennaicorporation.gov.in

Last reviewed: 24 April 2026.