Decoded — Now Integrated into Explanations

The Decoded series set out to do one thing well: take each section of the Right to Information Act, 2005 and pair the statutory text with its plain-language meaning and one illustrative decision. That format now lives inside the Common Terms and Explanations hub and the per-section Act pages, which are maintained more often than this namespace ever was. Nothing was deleted — every section mapped below still has a home, and the guides now go further than the originals, adding case-law anchors, common PIO errors and citable ratio sentences.

• Section 2 — Definitions → §2 page + Common Terms.
• Section 4 — Suo-motu disclosure → §4 page.
• Section 6 — Request procedure → §6 page + Guide for Applicants.
• Section 7 — Disposal → §7 page + §7(9) alternative form + §7(2) deemed refusal.
• Section 8 — Exemptions → The ten grounds, fully explained (our canonical guide). Per-clause deep dives: §8(1)(j) after DPDP · §8(1)(e) Fiduciary.
• Section 9 — Copyright → covered in grounds for rejection.
• Section 10 — Severability → §10 page + FAA severance powers.
• Section 11 — Third-party → §11 page + privacy vs public interest.
• Section 19 — Appeals → §19 page + First Appeal timelines + FAA checklist.
• Section 20 — Penalties → §20 page.

The “statute + plain-language + one illustrative decision” approach has been absorbed into the PIO / FAA framework articles, which go further — adding case-law anchors (Supreme Court + High Court), common PIO errors, citable ratio sentences, and links to the filing tools.

Start points:

• PIO / FAA Knowledge Base — the main hub for all per-clause analysis.
• Grounds for RTI rejection — the ten §8(1) clauses, §9, §11, §24, plus §8(2) and §10.
• Ask for records, not answers — the single drafting fix.

1. Open the RTI Act index and click the section you are fighting about — the statutory text sits on that page.
2. Read the matching explanation above — for a refusal, that is almost always grounds for rejection.
3. Check the case-law anchor on the explanation page, then search the case-law database for your topic.
4. Draft or escalate with the tools: the AI RTI Drafter for a fresh application, the First Appeal Builder for a §19(1) appeal, and the Timeline Tracker to see which deadline is running.

If you specifically need the “section + statutory text + one example” format that Decoded aimed for, you can reconstruct it from the Act pages and the FAQ in under five clicks:

1. Open the RTI Act index and click the section.
2. Read the statutory text on that page.
3. Open grounds for rejection or the relevant PIO framework page for the plain-language explanation.
4. Open 10 landmark CIC decisions for an illustrative ruling.

Nowhere. They were merged, section by section, into the Explanations hub, the per-section Act pages and the PIO / FAA Knowledge Base. Every statutory idea covered before is still covered.

Start with Grounds for RTI rejection — it maps all ten §8(1) clauses, §9, §11 and §24, then explains the §8(2) public-interest override and §10 severability.

§7 sets the 30-day clock, and §7(1) proviso compresses it to 48 hours where life or liberty is involved. §7(2) deemed refusal explains what silence means: after 30 days, no reply is a refusal you can appeal.

That is §10 severability — exempt bits are severed, the rest must be given. FAA severance powers covers what an appellate authority can do about over-redaction.

Yes. 10 landmark CIC decisions and the historical CIC orders archive carry the illustrative rulings, and each explanation page links the leading case for its clause.

The Act applies nationwide; fees and appeal formats vary by state. See State-wise RTI fees before you attach your fee, and the RTI FAQ for the common variations.

• Common Terms and Explanations
• The RTI Act, 2005
• RTI FAQ — 25 most-asked questions
• PIO / FAA Knowledge Base
• Historical CIC orders — archive
• PIO Reply Checker
• The RTI Playbook book — print and PDF

Last reviewed: 27 August 2026. All 28 child links re-verified live (origin HTTP check of every section, explanation, case and tool target).