If your monthly pension is stopped, delayed, or short-credited for one or more months, file an RTI to the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) for Central pensioners, or to the Accountant General of your state for State pensioners. CPAO, the State AG, and every pension-disbursing bank (SBI, PNB, Canara, similar) are public authorities under the RTI Act, 2005. The RTI asks: current status of the Pension Payment Order (PPO), reason for the stoppage, life-certificate compliance, and the dealing officer's name. Fee is Rs. 10. The PIO has 30 days to reply, but for pensioners aged 70+ the §7(1) proviso 48-hour rule is invokable on humanitarian grounds.
📥 Use these before filing
Most pension stoppages are life-certificate related. Submit Jeevan Pramaan first; file RTI if pension does not restart within 7 days.
India has around 70 lakh Central pensioners and 5 crore State pensioners. Common reasons for stoppage or delay:
The pension helpline often gives a generic “verification under process” answer. The RTI route forces the PIO to disclose the actual block and the dealing officer at CPAO, AG, or the bank.
To,
The Public Information Officer,
Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO),
Trikoot-II, Bhikaji Cama Place,
New Delhi - 110066
Subject: Request for information under §6(1) of the Right to
Information Act, 2005, regarding pension stoppage / delay on PPO
Number [XXXXXXXXXX].
Sir / Madam,
I, [Your full name], a citizen of India, residing at [Your address],
aged [XX] years, retired from [Department / Ministry] on [DD-MM-YYYY],
request the following information under §6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005:
PPO Number: [XXXXXXXXXX]
Date of retirement: [DD-MM-YYYY]
Pension disbursing branch: [Bank name, branch, IFSC]
Last credit date: [DD-MM-YYYY]
Last credit amount: Rs. [XX,XXX]
Jeevan Pramaan submission date: [DD-MM-YYYY] (if applicable)
Reason for filing: [Pension stopped / Pension short-credited /
Pension delayed / Other - specify]
1. Current status of pension disbursement under the said PPO.
2. Reasons for stoppage or short-credit, if any.
3. Status of Jeevan Pramaan / Life Certificate submitted on
[DD-MM-YYYY]. If rejected, the reasons.
4. Whether any PPO variation (Dearness Relief revision, family
pension transition, recovery order) is in progress.
5. Name and designation of the dealing officer at CPAO and at
the disbursing bank.
6. Expected date of resumption of pension credit.
7. Action taken on the grievance I submitted on the CPGRAMS portal
on [DD-MM-YYYY], if any.
I am aged [XX] years. Where the delay endangers my livelihood, kindly
treat this application under the §7(1) proviso (life or liberty
matter) with a 48-hour reply window. Supporting documents enclosed.
I am enclosing Rs. 10 as the prescribed application fee by way of
Indian Postal Order No. [XXXXX] dated [DD-MM-YYYY]. (BPL applicants:
state §7(5) exemption with BPL card copy.)
Yours sincerely,
[Signature]
[Printed name]
[Phone] · [Email]
Date: [DD-MM-YYYY]
Place: [City]
§7(1) proviso of the RTI Act applies when life or liberty is involved. For a pensioner aged 70 or above whose pension stoppage threatens essential medical care or daily livelihood, the 48-hour rule is invokable. Mark the envelope clearly. Attach the medical receipt or hospital letter as evidence of urgency.
The CIC in Kishan Lal Bhati v. Police Commissioner Mumbai (2010) held: a 48-hour breach attracts a §20 penalty. The same principle applies to pension delay for the oldest pensioners.
Pension stopped 60+ days? Escalate with §20 prayer.
When CPAO and the bank both ignore, the Second Appeal to the Central Information Commission is the route. Include a §20(1) prayer for Rs. 25,000 penalty. Read the §20 guide.
Templates: RTI Application Format · First Appeal Format · Second Appeal Format
Stuck? Use the AI RTI Drafter.
Yes. The Central Pension Accounting Office is a Central Government body under the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, and a public authority under the RTI Act, 2005. Every State Accountant General's office is similarly a public authority.
No. The bank is a public authority for pension disbursement (it acts under government instructions). §8(1)(e) fiduciary exemption does not apply to your own pension records. The bank PIO is required to disclose status, credit history, and reason for any block.
7 days from Jeevan Pramaan submission. 15 days from PPO variation issue. Beyond 30 days, an RTI is appropriate to surface the block.
§7(1) proviso applies when life or liberty is involved. For a pensioner above 70 facing medical hardship, the 48-hour rule is invokable. The application must clearly state the urgency and attach supporting evidence.
The RTI does not directly restart payment. It forces a status disclosure. In around 60 percent of cases, the dealing officer resolves the block within 7-14 days of the RTI being filed.
Yes. After the pensioner's death, the surviving spouse files Form 14. If the family pension is not credited within 60 days, the same RTI route applies. Address the application as “regarding family pension under PPO [XXX] for [deceased's name], date of death [DD-MM-YYYY]”.
Two parallel RTIs: (1) to CPAO asking for the date of PPO dispatch to the bank, (2) to the bank asking for the receipt date and the next action. The two PIOs together close the information gap.
Last reviewed: 28 May 2026, RTI Wiki editorial team.