Right to Information Wiki
RTI helplines that citizens actually use

Beyond online portals, some RTI helplines actually help citizens file. State-by-state list of helpful numbers and what they actually do.

RTI helplines that citizens actually use

RTI helplines that citizens actually use — RTI Wiki

Helplines can be a lifeline when the online portal is down or the applicant is non-tech-savvy. Here are the ones that actually take calls, take drafts, and file on your behalf — not just recorded messages.

Central

  • 1800-11-4014 — PMO CPGRAMS (RTI-adjacent grievance).
  • 1800-11-0111 — DoPT RTI helpline (Delhi-based).

State-level (verified April 2026)

  • Maharashtra RTI helpline — Mumbai and Pune lines; operational; Marathi/Hindi/English.
  • Karnataka RTI helpdesk — Bangalore-based.
  • Kerala RTI facilitation — one of the best run, free-of-cost filing assistance.
  • Delhi RTI Cell — 011-based; staff takes drafts.
  • Rajasthan Sampark helpline — broader grievance but handles RTI.
  • Tamil Nadu Maavattam — district-level RTI kiosks.

NGO-run helplines that actually help

  • SNS Foundation — national.
  • Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS Delhi) — drafts, counsels.
  • Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) — rural India focus.
  • Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) — legal support.

What a helpline can do

  1. Help you frame the 5 questions.
  2. Advise on the right PA.
  3. Even file the RTI on your behalf and track.

What a helpline cannot do

  1. Force a PIO to reply faster.
  2. Guarantee favourable CIC order.

Sources

  1. State government helpline directories (April 2026).
  2. NGO websites.

Last reviewed: 25 April 2026.

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Why this matters for citizens

This blog post is part of RTI Wiki's editorial coverage of India's information-rights ecosystem under the Right to Information Act, 2005. We track court rulings, policy changes, RTI activist work, and citizen success stories monthly. Subscribe to the monthly newsletter for a curated digest.

Citizen action steps

  1. File a free RTI on a related issue using the AI RTI Drafter.
  2. Track deadlines with the Timeline Tracker (Day 30 + Day 60 alerts).
  3. If your reply is evasive, paste it into the PIO Reply Checker.
  4. For voice input in 11 Indian languages, use AwaazRTI.

Citations and sources

  • Right to Information Act, 2005 — full text
  • CPIO Supreme Court v. Subhash Chandra Agarwal (2020) 5 SCC 481 — Constitution Bench
  • Anjali Bhardwaj v. UoI (2019) 9 SCC 199 — IC accountability
  • DPDP Act 2023 + DPDP Rules 2025 (in force 14 Nov 2025)