RTI for Missing Government File: File Movement, Diary Number, Dispatch Register and Responsibility

A “missing” government file is rarely lost. It is usually parked on a desk, sent to another section, or quietly closed without orders. An RTI under Section 6 of the RTI Act 2005 asking for the diary number, dispatch register entry, file movement register and present custodian forces the office to either produce the file or admit in writing that it is untraceable, which itself triggers responsibility under the Manual of Office Procedure.

When to use this guide

Use this guide when you have applied to a government office (pension, mutation, scholarship, recruitment, building plan, transfer, refund) and weeks or months later nobody can tell you where your file is. Counter clerks say “the file is upstairs”, upstairs says “with the section officer”, the section officer says “with accounts”, and accounts says “we never received it”. This is the classic Indian government file black hole. The right RTI plus the file-movement registers fixes it within 30 days.

  • RTI Act 2005, Section 2(f): “information” includes records and documents, file noting and movement registers are records.
  • RTI Act 2005, Section 2(j): right to obtain copies and inspect work, documents and records.
  • RTI Act 2005, Section 6: procedure for filing.
  • RTI Act 2005, Section 7(1): 30-day reply.
  • RTI Act 2005, Section 7(9): form in which information is to be provided.
  • Manual of Office Procedure (MoP), Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances: chapters on receipt, diary, file opening, file movement and dispatch.
  • Public Records Act 1993: Section 9 makes wilful destruction or unauthorised removal of public records a criminal offence.

The Central Information Commission has held in many decisions, including Shri R K Jain v ITAT (CIC/AT/A/2007) and Inderjit Singh v MoUD (CIC/SS/A/2010), that “file not traceable” is not an acceptable reply unless the public authority records the loss in writing and orders an inquiry.

Step-by-step process

  1. Pin the original application. Note the date you submitted it, the receipt number on your acknowledgement, and the office name in full.
  2. Identify the right PIO. Usually the PIO of the same office where the original file was opened. Most ministries publish a PIO list at /rti/list-of-cpios on their website.
  3. Draft a focused RTI. Ask for: (a) diary number; (b) date of receipt; © file number opened; (d) entries in the file movement register; (e) noting on each desk; (f) present location and custodian; (g) dispatch register entry of any letter issued; (h) reasons for delay; (i) name and designation of the officer responsible.
  4. Cite Section 4(1)(b)(viii) and Section 6. This forces the PIO to disclose register entries that are routine record-keeping under the MoP.
  5. Pay the fee of ₹10 (state-specific where applicable) and post by Speed Post AD to the PIO. Keep the AD slip.
  6. Wait 30 days. Either the file moves and you get the order, or you get a written reply admitting the file is missing. Both outcomes help.
  7. First Appeal within 30 days if the PIO does not reply or replies vaguely.

Format / template

To,
The Public Information Officer,
[Name of office and full address]

Subject: Application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, regarding file movement and present location of my application dated [DD/MM/YYYY]

Sir / Madam,

I, [Full name], resident of [Address], a citizen of India, request information as follows under Section 6 of the RTI Act 2005. I have already paid the prescribed fee of Rs. 10 by Indian Postal Order number [IPO no., date], drawn in favour of [accounts officer].

In respect of my application dated [DD/MM/YYYY] received by your office on [date, if known] under acknowledgement number [number], please provide:

1. The diary number and date of receipt entered in your office on the said application.
2. The file number under which the file was opened.
3. Certified copy of every entry in the file movement register from the date of opening till the date of this RTI.
4. Certified copy of every noting on the file by every officer who has dealt with it.
5. Present physical location of the file and the name, designation and section of the present custodian.
6. Date and dispatch number of any communication issued to me from the file.
7. Reasons recorded in writing for the delay beyond [number of days] days.
8. Name and designation of the officer responsible for the delay.
9. If the file is reported "not traceable", certified copy of the loss memorandum and the order for departmental inquiry under the Manual of Office Procedure.

I invoke Section 10 (severability) and Section 6(3) (transfer to the right office). I undertake to pay any further fee as per Section 7(3).

Yours faithfully,
[Signature]
[Full name and date]

Common mistakes

  • Asking “why is my work pending”. That is an opinion, not a record. Reframe as “copy of file noting and file movement register”.
  • Naming the file wrongly. If you do not know the file number, identify the application by date, subject and your acknowledgement number. The PIO is required to trace it under Section 5(3).
  • Writing one paragraph blob. Number every query so that the PIO must answer point by point, and so that a partial reply is visible.
  • Forgetting the dispatch register. Many “missing” files have actually been dispatched but not recorded. The dispatch register entry, if present, gives you the date, mode and addressee, often a smoking gun.
  • Threatening the PIO. Stick to record-shaped queries. The PIO is a messenger, not the cause of the delay.
  • Posting without proof. Always Speed Post AD or registered post. UPC and ordinary post leave you no enforceable date for Section 7(1).

Appeal or next step

  • No reply in 30 days → First Appeal to the FAA of the same office under Section 19(1) within 30 days. Attach the AD card and the application copy.
  • PIO says “not traceable” without inquiry order → First Appeal citing the MoP duty to record loss and order departmental inquiry, plus Public Records Act 1993 Section 9.
  • First Appeal also fails → Second Appeal to CIC or SIC under Section 19(3) within 90 days. Pray for a direction to (a) trace and produce the file, (b) initiate inquiry, © award compensation under Section 19(8)(b) and (d) impose penalty under Section 20.
  • Parallel grievance → CPGRAMS to the head of the department asking for tracing and disposal. RTI plus CPGRAMS works faster than either alone.

FAQs

What if the PIO replies that my file is missing?

Send a follow-up RTI asking for (a) the loss memorandum, (b) the inquiry order under the MoP, © the FIR if any, (d) action against the negligent custodian. A written admission of loss is itself proof for a writ.

Can I get the file declared lost so I can re-apply?

Yes. After the office records loss in writing, you can re-apply with a covering letter referencing the loss memorandum and request priority processing. Carry the RTI reply with you.

Does the file movement register exist for every office?

Yes. The Manual of Office Procedure mandates a file movement register for every section in every central government office, and most state Secretariat manuals replicate this. Local bodies sometimes maintain only a register at the dak section.

Is "the file is with senior officer" a valid reply?

No. The PIO must give the name, designation and section of the present custodian. “Senior officer” is too vague to satisfy Section 7(9).

What is the cost of certified copies?

₹2 per A4 page for central authorities; varies by state. The PIO must intimate the cost under Section 7(3) and give you ten days to pay before treating the request as withdrawn.

Will an RTI bring back a deliberately destroyed file?

No, but it triggers the criminal liability under Section 9 of the Public Records Act 1993 and a CIC penalty under Section 20.

Can I file this RTI online?

For central ministries, yes, through rtionline.gov.in. For state offices, only some states offer online filing. When in doubt, post by Speed Post.

Sources

Last reviewed: 9 May 2026.