Indian Postal Order for RTI: ₹10 IPO guide

An Indian Postal Order, commonly shortened to IPO, is a postal payment instrument that can accompany a paper RTI application. For a Central public authority, the RTI Rules, 2012 set the application fee at ₹10 and expressly permit payment by IPO payable to the Accounts Officer of that public authority.

The IPO pays the application fee. It does not replace the RTI letter, prove delivery or pay later copying charges. Your paper filing still needs:

• the RTI application with a precise records request;
• the correct Central Public Information Officer or receiving office;
• the permitted fee instrument, unless exempt;
• a delivery method and receipt you can retain.

Use the complete RTI filing guide to prepare the request and the first RTI template for a clean structure.

Under the Right to Information Rules, 2012:

• Rule 3 sets the application fee at ₹10.
• Rule 5 exempts a person below the poverty line from paying the fee when the application includes a copy of the appropriate certificate.
• Rule 6 permits cash against receipt, demand draft, banker's cheque or Indian Postal Order payable to the Accounts Officer of the public authority, and electronic payment where available.

These are Central rules. A state public authority follows the applicable state RTI rules, which may differ on amount, exemption evidence and payment mode.

1. Find the public authority's official RTI or CPIO page.
2. Confirm that it accepts an Indian Postal Order and copy the stated payee wording.
3. Buy an IPO for the required amount from an India Post office that provides the service.
4. Enter the payee exactly as instructed. For Central rules, this is the Accounts Officer of the public authority, although the authority may publish a more specific designation.
5. Record the IPO number and purchase date. Keep the counterfoil or receipt.
6. Attach the original IPO securely to the signed RTI application.
7. Send it to the correct receiving office using a trackable postal service.
8. Save a scan of the complete application, attachments, IPO and postal receipt.

Do not guess the payee from a blog. A public authority may publish a Pay and Accounts Officer, Drawing and Disbursing Officer or another exact accounting designation consistent with its setup. Follow the authority's current official instructions.

India Post also provides an electronic Indian Postal Order facility for RTI applications to Central Ministries and Departments. Its published manual states that:

• an e-IPO is generated in the ₹10 denomination for this RTI use;
• the commission is ₹1;
• one e-IPO is used for one RTI application;
• it remains valid until one month from the last day of the month in which it was generated;
• the generated e-IPO details must be used as directed in the RTI application process.

Check the current India Post e-IPO page before paying. The service scope and workflow can change, and e-IPO should not be assumed to cover every state public authority.

The legal rule is “Accounts Officer of the public authority.” The practical wording should come from that authority's official RTI page. A safe notation in your records is:

IPO number: [serial number]
Amount: ₹10
Payee as published by authority: [exact designation]
Public authority: [full official name]

Do not use “Public Information Officer” as a universal payee. The officer who handles the information request and the accounting officer who receives the fee can be different.

• applying the Central ₹10 rule to a state authority without checking state rules;
• making the IPO payable to an invented or shortened office name;
• sending the counterfoil and keeping the payment instrument by mistake;
• failing to retain the IPO serial number and a scan;
• attaching an expired e-IPO;
• using one e-IPO for several applications;
• sending the application to the wrong office and assuming payment cures jurisdiction;
• buying an IPO when the official online portal already provides the appropriate payment flow.

Read the written reason. Compare the authority named, governing Central or state rule, amount, payee and payment instrument. Preserve the envelope, return letter, IPO copy and postal tracking. Correct a genuine defect promptly. If the authority applies an unpublished condition or rejects a payment method expressly allowed by the governing rule, raise the issue in the appropriate first-appeal or grievance channel with the documents attached.

RTI obtains existing records; it is not the right tool for every service complaint. See RTI versus grievance alternatives and the CPGRAMS filing guide before starting parallel proceedings.

The Central RTI application fee is ₹10 under the RTI Rules, 2012. State rules can prescribe a different amount or method.

The Central rule says the Accounts Officer of the public authority. Use the exact designation published on the authority's official RTI page.

Not as a universal rule. The CPIO receives and processes the information request, while the fee instrument is payable under the accounting designation specified by the rules and authority.

The Central rules exempt a below-poverty-line applicant from the fee when the application includes a copy of the appropriate certificate. Check the governing rule and required evidence.

Only if that state's current RTI rules permit it. Do not assume the Central ₹10 IPO method applies in every state.

No. e-IPO is an India Post payment instrument. The Central RTI Online portal has its own filing and payment workflow.

India Post's published e-IPO material states that it is valid until one month from the last day of the month of generation. Recheck the current manual before use.

No. The IPO proves the fee instrument. Keep separate postal tracking or an office receipt to prove delivery.

• How to file an RTI application
• First RTI application template
• Citizen RTI playbook
• Choose RTI or another remedy
• File a CPGRAMS grievance
• Understand CPIO, PIO and APIO
• RTI Wiki home

• Department of Personnel and Training: Right to Information Rules, 2012
• India Post e-IPO information page
• Central RTI Online portal