Decoded — Now Integrated into Explanations
This series is now part of Explanations. The Decoded walk-through of the RTI Act — statutory text + plain-language meaning + an illustrative decision for each section — has been consolidated into our Common Terms and Explanations hub and the dedicated per-section articles. You will find the same content, better maintained, under the links below.
Where to find each section
- Section 2 — Definitions → §2 page + Common Terms.
- Section 4 — Suo-motu disclosure → §4 page.
- Section 6 — Request procedure → §6 page + Guide for Applicants.
- 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 20 — Penalties → §20 page.
What the Decoded approach is now
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.
Want the old format back?
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:
- Open the RTI Act index and click the section.
- Read the statutory text on that page.
- Open grounds for rejection or the relevant PIO framework page for the plain-language explanation.
- Open 10 landmark CIC decisions for an illustrative ruling.
Related
Last reviewed: 21 April 2026. Decoded series consolidated into Explanations.