Filing an RTI application is a 4-step process under §6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005: (1) draft the application, (2) attach the fee, (3) post by Speed Post (AD) to the Public Information Officer, (4) wait 30 days. Below is the master guide for first-time filers.

• Address it to “The Public Information Officer, [Office name], [Address]“.
• State subject: “Application under §6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005”.
• Identify yourself: name, address, citizenship.
• Pose specific record-shaped queries (not opinions, not “why”).
• Invoke §10 (severability) + §6(3) (transfer to right office) + §7(1) (30-day reply) explicitly.
• Sign + date.

• ₹10 for central authorities (most state authorities also use ₹10).
• State-specific — TN/HR/PB ₹50, RJ ₹40, GJ ₹20.
• BPL — zero, attach BPL certificate.
• Mode: IPO / court-fee / DD / online (where supported).

• Speed Post with Acknowledgement Due from India Post — gives you the filing-date proof that starts the §7(1) clock.
• Keep the AD card.
• Optionally: also email a scan to the office (not statutory but useful evidence).

• Day 30 — silence = deemed refusal under §7(2). File §19(1) First Appeal in 30 days.
• Day 60-90 — if FAA fails, file §19(3) Second Appeal to State / Central Information Commission.
• Beyond 18 months pending — writ to High Court under Article 226.

To,
The Public Information Officer,
[Office name],
[Address]

Subject: Application under §6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005

Date: [DD Month YYYY]

Sir / Madam,

1. I, [Your full name], a citizen of India residing at [address], hereby
   apply under §6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 for the following:

   (a) [Specific record / file / decision]
   (b) [Specific record / file / decision]
   (c) [Specific record / file / decision]

2. Fee: ₹10 IPO enclosed (or court-fee / online / BPL exemption).

3. Severability under §10(1) + §10(2) requested if any portion is exempt.

4. Transfer under §6(3) requested if outside this office's scope.

5. I expect reply within 30 days per §7(1) of the Act.

Yours faithfully,
[Your name]
[Address, phone, email]

Encl.: ₹10 IPO in favour of Accounts Officer.

• Asking “why” — reframe as “the file noting that records the reason”.
• Multi-subject application — split into separate applications.
• Vague language — be specific. “Certified copy of order dated DD/MM/YYYY” not “everything about my case”.
• No fee — non-acceptance memo. Always include IPO / court-fee / DD.
• Wrong PIO — invoke §6(3) so any wrong-office filing is auto-transferred within 5 days.

Use our AI RTI Drafter (free, 60 seconds) — auto-detects the right PIO + state fee. Or AwaazRTI for voice in 11 Indian languages.

• Right to Information Act, 2005 — full text
• Bhagat Singh v. CIC (Delhi HC, 2007) — procedural compliance
• Adesh Kumar v. UoI (Delhi HC, 2014) — irrelevance is not a ground

• 40+ sample RTI letters
• AI RTI Drafter
• First Appeal Builder
• State-wise fee chart
• Case-law database (300+)
• RTI Act, 2005

Last reviewed: 4 May 2026.