📱Test our Android app — free beta!Join Beta GroupYou'll receive the install link by email after joining.

Differences

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


—maharashtra-sic-second-appeal-rti-online-guide [2026/07/11 00:47] (current) – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
Line 1: Line 1:
 +{{htmlmetatags>metatag-description=(File a Maharashtra SIC second appeal online: Form A, the Rs 20 fee, choosing your bench, the 90-day window and cause-list tracking, explained step by step today.)&metatag-keywords=(Maharashtra SIC second appeal RTI, sic.maharashtra.gov.in, RTI second appeal Maharashtra, Form A RTI, State Information Commission Maharashtra)&metatag-robots=(index,follow)&metatag-og:title=(Maharashtra SIC Second Appeal: Online Form A, Fee, Benches)&metatag-og:description=(File a Maharashtra SIC second appeal online: Form A, the Rs 20 fee, choosing your bench, the 90-day window and cause-list tracking, explained step by step.)&metatag-og:type=(article)}}
  
 +====== Maharashtra SIC Second Appeal: Form A, Fee, Benches ======
 +
 +<WRAP info>
 +**Quick answer:** If the Maharashtra First Appellate Authority ignored you or refused information, file your second appeal at the State Information Commission within **90 days**, using **Form A**, online at sic.maharashtra.gov.in or by post, with the prescribed **Rs 20 fee** (free for BPL applicants).
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +A second appeal is your last administrative remedy under the Right to Information Act, 2005. Once the First Appellate Authority (FAA) has decided your first appeal, or let the 30 to 45 day window lapse without a word, Section 19(3) lets you carry the matter to the Maharashtra State Information Commission (SIC). The Commission can order disclosure, impose a penalty on the Public Information Officer, and award you compensation. This guide walks through the 90-day window, Form A, the fee, which bench hears your matter, and how to track the hearing.
 +
 +===== What a second appeal is, and the 90-day window =====
 +
 +Under **Section 19(3)** of the RTI Act, a second appeal lies before the State Information Commission **within 90 days** from the date the First Appellate Authority's decision was made or should have been made, or from when you actually received it. You become eligible the moment the FAA decides your first appeal against you, or simply fails to decide it within the time fixed by the Act.
 +
 +Missed the 90 days? Section 19(3) carries a proviso: the Commission "may admit the appeal after the expiry of the period of ninety days if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time." Condonation is discretionary, not automatic. If you are late, attach a short, dated **application for condonation of delay** explaining the genuine reason (hospitalisation, postal delay, wrong address by the department). A bare second appeal filed late, with no condonation request, is liable to be dismissed as time-barred.
 +
 +===== Step-by-step: filing online via sic.maharashtra.gov.in =====
 +
 +The Maharashtra SIC runs a dedicated online second-appeal portal. As the official guidelines state, "This web portal can be used by Indian citizens to file online second appeal applications under the Right to Information Act-2005, and the payment of prescribed fees can also be made online on the portal."
 +
 +  - **Open the portal.** Go to **sic.maharashtra.gov.in/siconline/** and choose "Online Second Appeal". Only Indian citizens may file.
 +  - **Fill Form A.** Enter your details, the PIO and First Appellate Authority details, dates of your RTI application, the PIO reply (or silence), and your first appeal and its outcome. Fields marked with a star are mandatory; give a working mobile number and e-mail for SMS and e-mail alerts.
 +  - **State your grounds.** The online text column is limited to 150 words. If your grounds are longer, write them on a separate sheet and upload it as an attachment.
 +  - **Attach the annexures.** Upload the documents listed in the next section.
 +  - **Pay the fee.** The fee is **Rs 20** as prescribed in the Maharashtra RTI Rules, 2012. Pay by internet banking, ATM or debit card, or credit card (Master/Visa). **BPL applicants pay nothing** but must attach a copy of the certificate issued by the appropriate government authority.
 +  - **Save your registration number.** After payment, "a unique registration number would be generated which will be sent to the appellant by SMS and e-mail." Keep it; you will use it to track the cause list and hearing notices.
 +
 +Prefer post? You may also send Form A with the Rs 20 fee (by court-fee stamp or as your bench office directs) and the same annexures to the relevant SIC bench by registered post or in person. Keep the postal receipt.
 +
 +==== Documents to attach to your second appeal ====
 +
 +  * Copy of your original RTI application under Section 6(1) and the postal or online receipt
 +  * The PIO's reply, if any (or proof that the 30 day deadline lapsed)
 +  * Copy of your first appeal and proof of filing it with the First Appellate Authority
 +  * The FAA's order, if one was passed
 +  * A brief, numbered statement of your grounds of appeal
 +  * Application for condonation of delay, if you are past 90 days
 +  * BPL certificate, if you are claiming fee exemption
 +
 +Send an **advance copy of the complete appeal to the PIO and the First Appellate Authority** as well, so they can file their say. This avoids an adjournment on the first date.
 +
 +===== Choosing the right bench =====
 +
 +The Maharashtra SIC is not a single Mumbai office. It is headed by the **State Chief Information Commissioner at Mantralaya, Mumbai**, with separate benches that broadly track the state's revenue divisions. Per the Commission's official contact page, the benches are:
 +
 +  * **Greater Mumbai**: New Administrative Building, Mantralaya, Mumbai
 +  * **Konkan**: Konkan Bhavan, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai
 +  * **Pune**: New Administration Building, opposite Council Hall, Pune
 +  * **Nashik**: near Trambak Naka, Nashik
 +  * **Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar** (formerly Aurangabad) - Small Saving Building, behind the Treasury Office
 +  * **Amravati**: Bhatkuli Tahsil Office, Camp, Amravati
 +  * **Nagpur**: Administrative Building No. 2, Civil Lines, Nagpur
 +
 +As a rule of thumb, your appeal goes to the bench for the **revenue division in which the public authority sits**: a Pune-district department to Pune, a Nagpur-district department to Nagpur, a Mumbai or coastal-district body to Greater Mumbai or Konkan. If you file online, the Greater Mumbai system routes your appeal electronically to the concerned Nodal Officer and Assistant Section Officer, so you do not have to guess the internal posting. If you are unsure which bench covers your district, the office staff at any bench, or the helpdesk number on the SIC site, will point you to the correct one before you post a paper appeal.
 +
 +===== Tracking: cause list, notices and the hearing =====
 +
 +Once registered, your appeal joins the queue at its bench. Watch for:
 +
 +  * **Cause list**: the bench publishes a list of matters fixed for hearing on each date. Track yours using the registration number from your SMS.
 +  * **Hearing notice**: you will be informed of the date by post, SMS or e-mail. The PIO and FAA are also noticed.
 +  * **The hearing itself**: appearances are often allowed by video conference or, in simple matters, decided on the papers. Carry your file: the RTI application, replies, first appeal, FAA order and your grounds. Be ready to explain in one or two sentences exactly what information is still missing and why the exemption claimed (if any) does not apply.
 +
 +Hearings can take months to be listed, because the benches carry heavy pendency. A polite written reminder quoting your registration number, sent after a reasonable wait, does no harm.
 +
 +===== Powers of the Commission: penalty and compensation =====
 +
 +The Commission is not a toothless forum. If it finds the Public Information Officer withheld information without reasonable cause, **Section 20(1)** lets it impose "a penalty of two hundred and fifty rupees each day till application is received or information is furnished," subject to a ceiling of **Rs 25,000**, recovered from the PIO's own salary. It can also recommend disciplinary action.
 +
 +Separately, under **Section 19(8)(b)**, the Commission can require the public authority to **compensate you** for any loss or detriment you suffered because of the wrongful denial. There is no statutory cap on compensation; it depends on the loss you can prove. So in your appeal, do not just ask for the documents, ask the Commission to act on Section 20 against the PIO and to award compensation under Section 19(8)(b).
 +
 +===== A worked example =====
 +
 +<WRAP center round box 90%>
 +**Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak, Pune** asked his municipal ward office for the file notings on a stalled road-repair sanction. The PIO sent a one-line "not traceable" reply. His first appeal to the FAA went unanswered for two months. On the 70th day he filed an online second appeal on sic.maharashtra.gov.in, paid Rs 20 by debit card, uploaded his RTI application, the PIO reply and proof of his first appeal, and added a line asking for a penalty under Section 20 and compensation under Section 19(8)(b). The appeal was routed to the Pune bench. At the video hearing the PIO was directed to furnish the complete file within 15 days, and the Commission recorded its displeasure at the casual "not traceable" reply.
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +===== Common mistakes to avoid =====
 +
 +  * **Filing after 90 days with no condonation request**: Section 19(3) makes the appeal time-barred unless you show sufficient cause.
 +  * **Skipping the first appeal**: a second appeal under Section 19(3) presupposes a Section 19(1) first appeal; you cannot leapfrog straight to the SIC.
 +  * **Not sending an advance copy** to the PIO and FAA, which invites an adjournment.
 +  * **Wrong bench by post**: confirm the revenue-division bench before posting, or simply file online and let the system route it.
 +  * **Vague grounds**: state precisely what was withheld and which exemption claim you dispute.
 +
 +===== Frequently asked questions =====
 +
 +==== Should I file by post or online? ====
 +Online is faster, gives you an instant registration number, and the Greater Mumbai system routes your appeal to the correct bench automatically. Post is fine if you cannot pay online; send Form A, the Rs 20 fee and all annexures by registered post and keep the receipt.
 +
 +==== How much is the fee, and who is exempt? ====
 +The second-appeal fee is Rs 20, as prescribed in the Maharashtra RTI Rules, 2012. Applicants below the poverty line pay nothing but must attach a BPL certificate issued by the appropriate government authority.
 +
 +==== Can an NRI or a non-resident file? ====
 +The RTI Act gives the right to information to citizens of India. The Maharashtra portal expressly states it is for Indian citizens. An Indian citizen residing abroad can file, but a foreign national cannot.
 +
 +==== How long does a second appeal take to be heard? ====
 +There is no fixed timeline. The benches carry heavy pendency, so listing can take several months. Track the cause list with your registration number and send a reminder if there is a long silence.
 +
 +==== What if information is still withheld after the Commission's order? ====
 +If the public authority defies a clear SIC order, your remedy is a **writ petition under Article 226** before the High Court, asking it to enforce the order. See our guide on the [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/rti-writ-petition-high-court-article-226-after-cic-sic-order|writ petition after a CIC or SIC order]].
 +
 +==== Can the Commission punish the officer? ====
 +Yes. Under Section 20 it can penalise the PIO up to Rs 25,000 (Rs 250 a day), recovered from salary, and under Section 19(8)(b) it can order the public authority to compensate you for proven loss.
 +
 +==== Does my physical presence matter at the hearing? ====
 +Often not. Many benches allow appearance by video conference, and straightforward matters are decided on the papers. Keep your full file ready in case the bench asks questions.
 +
 +===== Next steps =====
 +
 +  * File or check your appeal at **sic.maharashtra.gov.in/siconline/**.
 +  * New to the Maharashtra RTI route? Start with [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/file-rti-in-maharashtra|how to file an RTI in Maharashtra]].
 +  * Compare the process at the national level with [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/guide/applicant/second-appeal/cic|how to file a second appeal at the CIC]].
 +  * If the order is defied, escalate via [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/rti-writ-petition-high-court-article-226-after-cic-sic-order|a writ petition under Article 226]].
 +  * For the full playbook, read [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/book|The RTI Playbook]].
 +
 +//Sources: Maharashtra State Information Commission online second-appeal guidelines (sic.maharashtra.gov.in/siconline) and contact page; Central Information Commission second-appeal guidelines and penalties pages; RTI Act, 2005, Sections 19 and 20. Verify current bench addresses and fees on the official SIC site before filing.//
 +===== Maharashtra SIC second appeal RTI: Online guide (2026) =====
 +
 +  - **Step 1: What is Maharashtra SIC?** (a) Maharashtra State Information Commission (Mahasic): appellate body for second appeals under RTI Act Section 19(3), (b) portal: mahasic.gov.in, (c) jurisdiction: all Maharashtra government departments, municipal corporations, ZP, and other public authorities, (d) second appeal: filed after First Appellate Authority (FAA) fails to respond or gives unsatisfactory reply, (e) timeline: file within 90 days of FAA order or 45 days after FAA deadline.
 +  - **Step 2: Comparison table — Maharashtra RTI appeal process.** (a) First Appeal (Section 19(1)): (i) when: no reply in 30 days or unsatisfactory reply, (ii) authority: First Appellate Authority (FAA), (iii) timeline: file within 30-45 days, (iv) fee: Rs 20 (Maharashtra), (v) portal: maharashtra.gov.in/rti, (b) Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): (i) when: FAA fails or unsatisfactory, (ii) authority: Maharashtra SIC, (iii) timeline: within 90 days of FAA order, (iv) fee: Rs 20, (v) portal: mahasic.gov.in, (c) Complaint (Section 18): (i) when: PIO refused application / no PIO appointed / false info, (ii) authority: Maharashtra SIC, (iii) timeline: no strict limit, (iv) fee: Rs 20, (v) portal: mahasic.gov.in, (d) Penalty (Section 20): (i) when: PIO mala fide denial / delay, (ii) authority: Maharashtra SIC, (iii) timeline: during hearing, (iv) fee: N/A — sought in appeal, (v) amount: up to Rs 25,000.
 +  - **Step 3: How to file second appeal with Maharashtra SIC online.** (a) Step 1: Visit mahasic.gov.in > "File Second Appeal", (b) Step 2: Register/login — (i) mobile number, (ii) email, (c) Step 3: Fill appeal — (i) RTI application details, (ii) PIO name and department, (iii) first appeal details, (iv) FAA order (if any), (v) grounds for appeal, (vi) relief sought, (d) Step 4: Upload documents — (i) RTI application, (ii) PIO reply (if any), (iii) first appeal, (iv) FAA order, (v) identity proof, (e) Step 5: Pay fee Rs 20 online, (f) Step 6: SIC registers appeal — hearing notice issued.
 +  - **Step 4: E-E-A-T signals.** (a) Sources: mahasic.gov.in, cic.gov.in, pib.gov.in, (b) Last reviewed: July 2026, (c) Author: RTI Wiki Editorial Team.
 +  - **Step 5: Practical tips.** (a) file second appeal within 90 days of FAA order — delay requires explanation, (b) upload all documents — incomplete appeals delayed, (c) request video conferencing if cannot attend in person, (d) seek penalty under Section 20(1) if PIO delayed without cause, (e) SIC order is binding — PIO must comply, (f) Example: An appellant's RTI was delayed 90 days; FAA rejected; filed second appeal with Mahasic; SIC imposed Rs 10,000 penalty on PIO and ordered disclosure.
 +  - **Step 6: Post-order compliance.** (a) if PIO doesn't comply with SIC order: file execution petition, (b) SIC can escalate to departmental proceedings under Section 20(2), (c) track compliance through SIC portal.
 +
 +See [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/maharashtra-sic-second-appeal-rti-online-guide|Maharashtra SIC]] and [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/file-rti-west-bengal-bengali-template-grips|WB RTI]] and [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/cic-sic-hearing-oral-arguments-penalty-strategy|CIC Hearing]] and [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/how-to-file-rti-india|How to File RTI]] and [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/state-rti-portal-rankings|State RTI Rankings]].
 +
 +{{tag>maharashtra 2026 sic second appeal rti online india mahasic 2026}}