RTI Application Format 2026 (with Hindi + Tamil Samples)

An RTI application is a written request for information from any public authority covered by the Right to Information Act, 2005. §6 of the Act sets no fixed format, but every Public Information Officer accepts a one-page letter with eight standard fields. The English template below works for any Central, State, or Public Sector body. Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and Gujarati samples follow the same structure. Pay the prescribed fee of Rupees Ten (free for BPL applicants), keep proof of delivery, and the PIO has 30 days under §7(1) to reply.

A valid RTI application has eight fields. Skip any of these and the PIO has a ground to ask for clarification, which adds 7-10 days to your reply timeline.

1. Your name and complete postal address. Include PIN code. The PIO will post the reply here.
2. Phone number and email. Optional under §6, but adding them lets the PIO ring you on the same day for clarifications. Recommended.
3. Name and address of the public authority and the PIO. If you do not know the PIO's name, address it to “The Public Information Officer, [Department], [Address]” and the office will route it.
4. Subject line. Write: “Request for information under §6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005”. This single line stops your application from being misfiled as a grievance petition.
5. The information you want. Frame as numbered questions. Be specific. Ask for documents, dates, file notings, copies, or current status. Do not ask the PIO to investigate or draw conclusions.
6. Statement of citizenship. Write: “I am a citizen of India.” One line. The PIO is required to verify nothing more than your citizenship under §3.
7. Statement on fee. Write: “The prescribed fee of Rs. 10 is enclosed by way of [mode of payment].” For BPL applicants, write: “I am a Below Poverty Line cardholder. A copy of the BPL card is enclosed. §7(5) of the Act exempts me from fee.”
8. Date and signature. Sign at the bottom. Print your name below the signature.

Copy the block below into your word processor. Replace text in [ ] with your details.

To,
The Public Information Officer,
[Name of Department / Office]
[Full postal address]

Subject: Request for information under §6(1) of the Right to
Information Act, 2005

Sir / Madam,

I, [Your full name], a citizen of India, residing at [Your address],
request the following information under §6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005:

  1. [Specific question 1, with dates and reference numbers if any]
  2. [Specific question 2]
  3. [Specific question 3]
  4. Certified copies of [specific documents]
  5. Current status of [file / application number]

I am enclosing Rs. 10 as the prescribed application fee by way of
[Indian Postal Order / Court Fee Stamp / Demand Draft] No. [number]
dated [date].

Kindly supply the information at the address above within 30 days
as required under §7(1) of the Act.

Yours sincerely,

[Signature]
[Printed name]
[Phone] · [Email]
Date: [DD-MM-YYYY]
Place: [City]

The Hindi version follows the same eight-field structure. Use “लोक सूचना अधिकारी” for “Public Information Officer”, “सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम, 2005” for “Right to Information Act, 2005”, and “धारा 6(1)” for “§6(1)”.

For a fully translated sample with side-by-side annotations, read our Hindi RTI application sample.

Each Indian state accepts RTI applications in the official language of the state and in English. §6(1) explicitly protects this right. The PIO must accept your application in the local language and provide assistance, if requested, to a person who is unable to write the application in any language.

• Use AwaazRTI to speak your application in Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam, or Odia. The tool transcribes, formats, and exports to PDF or Word.
• For a written sample in the language of your choice, the AI RTI Drafter generates the eight-field format in 11 Indian languages.

• Asking the PIO to investigate. The Act limits the PIO to supplying information already on record. The PIO does not draw conclusions, give opinions, or run inquiries.
• Asking for “all information” without specifying. Vague requests get refused under §7(9) (disproportionate diversion of resources). Frame numbered, specific questions.
• Filing in the wrong jurisdiction. A Central Government PIO will refuse a State Government question and vice versa. Confirm which authority holds the record before filing.
• Skipping the fee. The application is treated as not received until the fee is paid. BPL applicants must enclose proof of the BPL card.
• Wrong mode of payment. Each state and each department has its own accepted modes (Postal Order, Court Fee Stamp, Demand Draft, online). Check the state RTI Rules before paying.

§6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 sets the rule: a request for information is made in writing or through electronic means, in English or Hindi or the official language of the area, addressed to the Public Information Officer of the public authority concerned, with the application fee prescribed by the rules.

§6(2) is the citizen-friendly part: the applicant is not required to give any reason for the request, beyond the contact details required to reach them.

§6(3) handles routing: if the application is sent to a public authority other than the one holding the information, the receiving authority transfers it to the right public authority within 5 days.

• By post. Use Registered Post with Acknowledgment Due, or Speed Post with receipt. Both give you proof of delivery, which matters if the PIO later denies receiving the application.
• By hand. Submit at the front desk of the public authority. Insist on a stamped acknowledgment with the date and the file diary number.
• Online. For Central Government bodies, file at rtionline.gov.in. Many states also have online portals.

Track the 30-day clock. If the PIO does not reply within 30 days, you have a statutory right under §19(1) to file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority of the same public authority.

§6(1) does not prescribe a single fixed format. The eight-field structure above is the working standard every PIO accepts because it covers every requirement the Act lists.

No. §6(1) requires only the application be in writing in English, Hindi, or the official language of the area. Plain language is welcome. The PIO has a duty to help applicants who need assistance under §6(1) proviso.

No. §6(2) is explicit. The PIO will not ask why you want the information. The PIO will only collect the minimum contact details needed to send the reply.

For the Central Government, the application fee is Rs. 10. State Governments set their own fees by rules made under §27. Most states charge Rs. 10. BPL applicants pay nothing under §7(5).

Yes. §6(1) protects filing in Hindi at any Central Government office in India. The PIO will reply in Hindi if you ask for it, or in the language of the application.

30 days from the date of receipt under §7(1). For matters involving the life or liberty of a person, the limit is 48 hours. If the application is transferred under §6(3), the 30 days count from the date the right office receives it.

A “deemed refusal” kicks in after 30 days. File a First Appeal with the FAA inside the same public authority. From there, a Second Appeal goes to the Information Commission under §19(3). The Commission also has the power to impose a penalty of Rs. 250 per day, up to Rs. 25,000, on the defaulting PIO under §20.

• RTI application samples, index of every format on this site
• RTI application sample in Hindi
• How to fill an RTI application, step by step
• Time limits under the RTI Act
• §6, request for obtaining information
• §7, disposal of request
• The RTI Playbook. The complete guide to filing RTI in 2026.

• The Right to Information Act, 2005. §6, §7, §19, §20, §27.
• Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India. dopt.gov.in.
• Central Information Commission. cic.gov.in.
• Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. persmin.gov.in.

Last reviewed: 27 May 2026, RTI Wiki editorial team.