RTI Application for Grievance Status: Track CPGRAMS Petition with RTI (2026)
Direct answer. When a grievance lodged through CPGRAMS, a state grievance portal, or in person at a public authority is not disposed of in reasonable time, file a free RTI to the PIO of that authority asking for the current status, file noting, action-taken report and the names of officers handling your case. The PIO must reply in 30 days.
Drafting notes. This is a sample application. Customise each item before filing. See Guide for applicants for procedure, fee, and appeal path. After 14 November 2025, requests seeking information about a named individual engage Section 8(1)(j) as amended by Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. See the practitioner note for the test the Public Information Officer must apply.
When to use this RTI
- Your CPGRAMS or state-portal grievance is shown as pending or marked closed without satisfactory resolution
- You filed a written grievance and have an acknowledgment number
- The Citizens' Charter time-frame for grievance disposal has been crossed
- You want to know whether the grievance was forwarded internally and to which officer
When NOT to use this RTI
- If you have not yet lodged the underlying grievance
- If the grievance is sub judice in a tribunal or court
- If you are asking the PIO to take a decision (the PIO supplies records, not orders)
Sample RTI application
To,
The Public Information Officer
[Name of Public Authority]
[Full Address, Pin Code]
Sub: Request for information under Section 6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005,
regarding action taken on my grievance dated ____________.
Sir / Madam,
I had lodged a grievance / petition / representation dated
____________ on the subject described below. The grievance has not
been disposed of within a reasonable period. I seek the following
information under the RTI Act.
Details of grievance:
Office where filed: ____________
Mode of filing (in person / post / CPGRAMS / state portal): ____________
Date of receipt: ____________
Acknowledgment / registration number: ____________
Subject: ____________
Information sought:
[1] Current status of my grievance dated ____________ as on the date
of this application.
[2] Certified copy of the file noting, action-taken note and any
correspondence, internal or external, on my grievance.
[3] Time-frame in your Citizens' Charter for disposal of such
grievances and reasons in writing for non-disposal within that
time-frame, if applicable.
[4] Names, designations and office addresses of officers who have
dealt with my grievance.
[5] Whether my grievance has been forwarded to any other office.
If yes, certified copy of the forwarding note and the date.
[6] Names and designations of officers from whom assistance is
sought by the PIO under Section 5(4) of the RTI Act.
Application fee of Rs 10 is enclosed in the form of Indian Postal
Order. Please send the information by registered post.
Yours faithfully,
[Signature]
[Name and address]
[Phone, email]
[Date]
If the PIO does not reply or refuses without reasons: First Appeal
[Date]
To,
The First Appellate Authority
[Public Authority Name]
[Address]
Sub: First appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act, 2005, against
the order of the PIO dated [____] / against deemed refusal
under Section 7(2), in respect of my RTI dated [____].
Sir / Madam,
1. I had filed an RTI application dated [____] seeking the
information described in the enclosure (Annexure A).
2. The PIO has [refused / not replied / partly replied] vide letter
dated [____]. The reply does not satisfy the requirements of
Sections 7(8) and 8 of the RTI Act, 2005, for the reasons set
out below.
3. Grounds of appeal:
(a) The reply does not record reasons for refusal, contrary to
Section 7(8) and Section 19(5).
(b) The PIO has not applied Section 8(2) public-interest
balancing.
(c) Severable parts under Section 10 have not been supplied.
(d) [add specific factual grounds].
4. Prayer: I pray that the FAA may be pleased to direct the PIO to
supply the information sought, free of cost under Section 7(6),
and to record findings on PIO conduct.
Yours faithfully,
[Name and signature]
[Address, phone, email]
Frequently asked questions
Can I file an RTI on a grievance that is still pending?
Yes. The RTI seeks records that already exist on the file: the noting, the action-taken note, the forwarding note. You are not asking for the grievance to be decided through RTI.
Will the PIO refuse on the ground that the grievance is open?
A pending grievance is not by itself a Section 8 ground. The records of an open file are disclosable subject to the specific exemptions. A bare refusal can be challenged on first appeal.
Can I get the names of officers handling my grievance?
Yes. Names, designations and office addresses are part of the Section 4(1)(b)(ix) directory and are routinely disclosed.
Related
Sources
- The Right to Information Act, 2005 (Sections 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 19)
- The Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2012
- The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, Section 44(3)
- Central Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System, https://pgportal.gov.in
- DARPG Citizens' Charter handbook
- Central Information Commission orders on grievance disposal at https://cic.gov.in
Last reviewed: 9 May 2026. Sources verified: statutory references and portal links cross-checked on 9 May 2026.
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