RTI fee in Chhattisgarh — the verified 2026 schedule
Quick Reply: In Chhattisgarh an RTI application costs ₹10, photocopies are ₹2 a page, and record inspection is free for the first hour then ₹5 an hour. A floppy or CD costs ₹50, and appeals carry no further fee. The one exception: the High Court of Chhattisgarh charges ₹12 per application. File online at rtionline.cg.gov.in.
Application fee: ₹10
Photocopy: ₹2/page A4 or A3
Inspection: first hour free, then ₹5/hour
Floppy/CD: ₹50
Appeals: No further fee
Online portal: rtionline.cg.gov.in
Chhattisgarh works on the fee schedule framed with its state RTI rules, and the clearest official statement of it is the page the Accountant General (Audit), Chhattisgarh publishes for applicants — reproduced below. The State Information Commission sits at siccg.gov.in, and the state runs its own online filing portal.
The verified fee schedule
- Application fee: ₹10 — cash against a proper receipt, demand draft, banker's cheque from a nationalised or scheduled bank, or Indian Postal Order
- Photocopies: ₹2 for each page in A-4 or A-3 size
- Larger paper: actual charge or cost price of the copy
- Samples or models: actual cost or price
- Inspection of records: no fee for the first hour, then ₹5 for each subsequent hour or fraction thereof
- Diskette or floppy: ₹50
- Priced publications: the fixed price, or ₹2 per photocopied page for extracts
- Appeals: the first appeal to the department needs no further fee; the second appeal goes to the State Information Commission
- Reply window: 30 days — the same clock the RTI Act sets everywhere
The High Court exception
The High Court of Chhattisgarh's RTI page prescribes ₹12 per application, with BPL applicants exempt. If your request concerns the High Court's own administration, budget the ₹12; everything else in the state runs on the ₹10 schedule.
BPL applicants pay nothing
Section 7(5) of the RTI Act bars any fee from a below-poverty-line applicant — the High Court's own page repeats the exemption for its ₹12. Attach the certificate copy, cite §7(5), and refuse nothing further.
How to pay and where to file
- Online: rtionline.cg.gov.in — the state portal for online RTI applications with gateway payment
- By post: to the PIO with a ₹10 Indian Postal Order or demand draft
- In person: cash against a receipt
- The Commission: siccg.gov.in — orders, proforma and PIO listings
- Second appeal: to the State Information Commission after the FAA stage
Real example. Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak asked a Raipur development authority for a layout file and was quoted ₹15 a page. The office could show no rule. He refiled through the state portal at ₹10, cited the ₹2 page rate, and the reply arrived in three weeks at ₹2 a page — the same file, one-fifteenth of the quote.
If a PIO demands more
Handling fees, search charges and per-question rates are not in the schedule. Demand the figure and its rule in writing, keep the receipt, and file a first appeal within 30 days. A wrongful fee demand is itself an appeal ground.
- AI RTI Drafter: Auto-fill PIO + Act sections
- First appeal builder: First Appeal Generator
Frequently asked questions
What is the RTI application fee in Chhattisgarh?
₹10 for almost every public authority. Only the High Court of Chhattisgarh charges ₹12.
Are appeals charged?
No. The first appeal to the department carries no further fee; the second appeal to the Commission is likewise fee-free.
Can I file online?
Yes — rtionline.cg.gov.in is the state's online RTI portal, with online payment.
Does inspection cost money?
The first hour is free; after that it is ₹5 per hour or part.
Related
Primary sources
Last reviewed: 26 August 2026. Figures verified against the Accountant General (Audit) Chhattisgarh fee page and the High Court's RTI page.
