Right to Information Wiki
RTI Second Appeal — Section 19(3) Citizen Guide

RTI second appeal under §19(3) — when to file, where to send (CIC for central, SIC for state), what to include, complaint vs second appeal, fee + format.

no way to compare when less than two revisions

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.


—guide:applicant:second-appeal:start [2026/05/05 02:22] (current) – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
Line 1: Line 1:
 +{{htmlmetatags>metatag-keywords=(rti second appeal,section 19 3,information commission,cic appeal,sic appeal,second appeal procedure,90 days deadline,rti escalation)
 +metatag-description=(RTI second appeal under §19(3) — when to file, where to send (CIC for central, SIC for state), what to include, complaint vs second appeal, fee + format.)}}
 +
 +====== RTI Second Appeal — Section 19(3) Citizen Guide ======
 +
 +{{ :social:auto:guide-applicant-second-appeal-start.png?direct&1200 |RTI Second Appeal — RTI Wiki guide}}
 +
 +**Quick answer.** A **second appeal** is the second level of escalation under the RTI Act, 2005 — filed under **§19(3)** when the **First Appellate Authority (FAA)** has either rejected your first appeal or failed to respond within 30 days (or 45 days with extension). The second appeal goes to the **Central Information Commission (CIC)** for central public authorities or the **State Information Commission (SIC)** for state authorities. The deadline is **90 days** from receipt of the FAA order (or from the date by which the FAA was supposed to respond). Filing is **free** at central level (no fee for second appeal). The Commission has powers under §19(8) to order disclosure, impose §20 penalties of up to ₹25,000 on the PIO, and award compensation under §19(8)(b).
 +
 +===== When to file a second appeal =====
 +
 +  - You filed a **First Appeal** under §19(1) within 30 days of the PIO order (or deemed refusal).
 +  - The FAA has either **rejected** the first appeal, **modified** it unfavourably, or **failed to respond** within the statutory window.
 +  - You now have **90 days** under §19(3) to file the second appeal.
 +
 +===== Where to file =====
 +
 +  * **Central public authorities** (Ministries, central PSUs, central commissions, Election Commission, etc.) → **[[:guide:applicant:second-appeal:cic|Central Information Commission]]**.
 +  * **State public authorities** (state ministries, state PSUs, state commissions, municipal bodies, district administration) → the relevant **State Information Commission**. Find it via the **[[:state-rti-portals-directory|state RTI portals directory]]** or **[[:state-rti-master-guide|state RTI master guide]]**.
 +
 +===== Second appeal vs §18 complaint =====
 +
 +  * **§19(3) second appeal** — used when the PIO supplied incomplete/incorrect information OR the FAA wrongly rejected the first appeal. Goal: get the information.
 +  * **[[:guide:applicant:second-appeal:complaint|§18 complaint]]** — used when the PIO refused to accept the application, demanded illegal fee, or failed to designate a PIO. Goal: penalty action against the officer.
 +  * Both can be filed together if both grounds apply.
 +
 +===== What to include in the second appeal =====
 +
 +  - Cover letter addressed to the Commission's Registrar.
 +  - Copy of the original §6(1) RTI application + proof of dispatch.
 +  - Copy of the PIO's reply (or evidence of non-reply after 30 days).
 +  - Copy of the §19(1) first appeal + proof of dispatch.
 +  - Copy of the FAA's order (or evidence of non-reply after 30/45 days).
 +  - Brief statement of the grounds: which information remains undisclosed, why the FAA reasoning was wrong, and what remedy is sought.
 +  - **Index** of all enclosures with page numbers.
 +  - Identity proof (citizenship; an Aadhaar/voter-ID copy is standard).
 +
 +===== Format + filing =====
 +
 +  * **CIC online portal:** https://cic.gov.in
 +  * **By post:** dispatch by Speed Post (AD) to the Registrar of the relevant Commission.
 +  * **Hard-copy preferred:** Commissions still process hard-copy filings faster than online for most state SICs.
 +  * **Fee:** zero at the Commission level. Photocopy charges (Rs 2 per page) only apply to information eventually disclosed.
 +
 +===== Deadline mechanics =====
 +
 +| Trigger event                                  | Second appeal deadline   |
 +| FAA order received                             | +90 days                 |
 +| FAA failed to respond within 30 days           | +90 days from day 31     |
 +| FAA failed to respond after 45-day extension   | +90 days from day 46     |
 +
 +===== Related =====
 +
 +  * [[:guide:applicant:second-appeal:cic|Second appeal to CIC — full procedure]]
 +  * [[:guide:applicant:second-appeal:complaint|§18 complaint — when and how]]
 +  * [[:rti-first-appeal-guide|First Appeal under §19(1)]]
 +  * [[:case-database-pillar|Information Commission case-law database]]
 +  * [[:rti-act-2005-complete-guide|Complete RTI Act 2005 guide]]
 +
 +//Last reviewed: 5 May 2026.//
 +
 +{{tag>second-appeal section-19 cic sic information-commission rti escalation}}