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+{{htmlmetatags>metatag-keywords=(rti, second, appeal, cic, sic, RTI Act, RTI Wiki)&metatag-description=(RTI Second Appeal under Section 19(3): Filing before CIC and — A Second Appeal under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005 is the final statutory remedy…)}}
+====== RTI Second Appeal under Section 19(3): Filing before CIC and SIC (2026 Guide) ======
+<WRAP center round tip 95%>
+**Need help drafting this RTI?** Use our free **[[:tools:rti-assistant|RTI Assistant]]** — describe your problem, get a ready-to-file Section 6(1) application with your name and address pre-filled. Also handles First Appeal and Second Appeal to the CIC/SIC.
+</WRAP>
+**A Second Appeal under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005 is the final statutory remedy when the First Appellate Authority order is unsatisfactory or the FAA does not decide in time. It is filed with the Central Information Commission (CIC) for Central public authorities or the State Information Commission (SIC) for State public authorities, within 90 days of the FAA order or the expiry of the FAA's 45-day decision window.**
+{{ :social:auto:rti-second-appeal-cic-sic.png?direct&1200 |RTI Second Appeal under Section 19(3): Filing before CIC and SIC (2026 Guide) — RTI Wiki}}
+{{page>_snippets:dpdp-banner|Page> snippets dpdp banner}}
+Part of the **[[:pio-faa-knowledge-base|PIO / FAA Knowledge Base]]**.
+===== Quick Answer =====
+  * **Legal basis** — Section 19(3), RTI Act, 2005.
+  * **When** — within 90 days of the FAA's order, or after 45 days if the FAA did not decide.
+  * **To whom** — Central Information Commission (Central) or State Information Commission (State).
+  * **Commission powers** — §19(8) — direct disclosure, award compensation, initiate §20 penalty, direct §4(1)(b) compliance.
+  * **Disposal** — Commission orders are binding; enforcement is via writ under Article 226.
+===== Decision / Disclosure Table =====
+^ Situation ^ Outcome ^ Reason ^
+| FAA did not decide in 45 days | Proceed directly to Second Appeal | Fiction of FAA-deemed-non-disposal |
+| FAA affirmed PIO denial without reasoning | Speaking-order ground | Bhagat Singh (Delhi HC 2007) |
+| FAA order ignored Muniyappan §11 rule | Procedural ground | Muniyappan (Madras HC) |
+| FAA did not consider §8(2) public interest | Non-application-of-mind | CIC routinely remands |
+| FAA imposed penalty without §20 hearing | Natural-justice violation | Commission sets aside |
+| FAA changed the PIO's ground mid-order | New ground without notice | Natural justice |
+| FAA dismissed on limitation without considering cause | Procedural | Proviso-to-§19(1) not applied |
+===== Statutory text =====
+>//Section 19(3): A second appeal against the decision under sub-section (1) shall lie within ninety days from the date on which the decision should have been made or was actually received, with the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission: Provided that the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, 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.//
+===== Landmark case law =====
+  * **//CPIO, Supreme Court v. Subhash Chandra Agarwal//** (SC 2019) — Information Commission must apply §8(1)(j) public-interest balancing; appellate review is substantive.
+  * **//Namit Sharma v. Union of India//** (SC 2013 (cited)) — Commissions exercise quasi-judicial power; reasoned orders mandatory.
+  * **//CIC Full Bench on political parties//** (CIC 2013) — Commission power to bind public authorities to §4(1)(b) compliance.
+  * **//Anjali Bhardwaj v. Union of India//** (SC 2019) — Commission vacancies and speedy disposal are rights-critical.
+Browse the **[[:cases|full case-law database — 362 curated rulings]]** for more.
+===== Second Appeal template =====
+<code>
+BEFORE THE CENTRAL / [NAME] STATE INFORMATION COMMISSION
+Second Appeal under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005
+Appeal No. [to be allotted]
+In the matter of:
+    [Your name]                                               ... Appellant
+    Versus
+    [PIO designation + public authority]                      ... Respondent-1
+    [FAA designation + public authority]                      ... Respondent-2
+Brief facts:
+. I filed an RTI application dated [date] seeking [description].
+. The CPIO responded on [date] / did not respond within 30 days.
+. I filed a First Appeal on [date]. The First Appellate Authority
+   [decided on date] / [did not decide within 45 days].
+. Aggrieved by the FAA order / non-decision, this Second Appeal is preferred.
+Grounds of Second Appeal:
+(i)   [Specific ground — e.g., FAA failed to apply §10 severance]
+(ii)  [Specific ground — e.g., FAA affirmed without reasons]
+(iii) [Specific ground — e.g., FAA did not consider §8(2) public interest]
+Relief sought:
+(i)   Set aside the FAA order dated [date];
+(ii)  Direct Respondent-1 to furnish complete information;
+(iii) Impose §20 penalty on the CPIO;
+(iv)  Direct compensation to the appellant under §19(8)(b).
+Annexures:
+A — RTI application dated [date]
+B — PIO reply dated [date]
+C — First Appeal filed on [date]
+D — FAA order dated [date] (if any)
+[Signature]
+[Name of Appellant]
+[Address, phone, email]
+[Date]
+</code>
+===== Common mistakes =====
+  * **Blanket invocation** without a specific statutory anchor and reasoning.
+  * **Skipping public-interest balancing** under §8(2) where an override is plausible.
+  * **Generic "sensitive" labels** instead of the precise clause.
+  * **Missing 30-day clock tracking** — §7(1) drives downstream appeals.
+  * **No severance attempt** under §10 where parts of the record are disclosable.
+===== FAQs — People Also Ask =====
+**Q1. Is there a fee for a Second Appeal?**
+No. §19(3) does not prescribe a fee. State Commissions are similarly fee-free except for copy charges.
+**Q2. Can I argue new grounds not raised at First Appeal?**
+Generally yes, with leave of the Commission — but a fresh claim not raised at First Appeal weakens your case.
+**Q3. How long does the CIC take?**
+Officially unlimited, but listing typically takes 6-18 months depending on backlog.
+**Q4. Can the Commission impose penalty on the PIO?**
+Yes under §20(1) — Rs 250/day of delay, up to Rs 25,000, and disciplinary recommendation under §20(2).
+**Q5. What if I disagree with the Commission order?**
+File a writ petition under Article 226 before the High Court. No statutory appeal lies.
+===== What Should You Do Next? =====
+  * **Sibling framework pages:** [[:rti-first-appeal-guide|§19(1) First Appeal Guide]] · [[:rti-second-appeal-cic-sic|§19(3) Second Appeal]] · [[:pio-section-20-penalty|§20 Penalty]] · [[:pio-section-22-overriding-effect|§22 Override]] · [[:pio-section-24-exempt-organisations|§24 Exempt Bodies]]
+  * **Procedure side:** [[:pio-rti-reply-guide|PIO Reply Guide]] · [[:faa-speaking-order-guide|FAA Speaking-Order Guide]]
+  * **§8 exemption deep-dives:** [[:pio-section-8-1-j-framework|§8(1)(j)]] · [[:pio-section-8-1-e-fiduciary|§8(1)(e)]] · [[:pio-section-8-1-h-investigation|§8(1)(h)]] · [[:pio-section-8-1-i-cabinet-papers|§8(1)(i)]]
+  * **Full Act text:** [[:act|RTI Act with DPDP 2025 overlay]]
+  * **Landmark rulings:** [[:cases|362 curated RTI cases]]
+===== Related reading =====
+  * [[:pio-faa-knowledge-base|PIO / FAA Knowledge Base (hub)]]
+  * [[:explanations:grounds-for-rejection|All 10 grounds for RTI rejection]]
+  * [[:faa-appellate-review-checklist|Appellate review checklist]]
+  * [[:glossary|RTI Glossary — 40 essential terms]]
+===== Sources =====
+  * Right to Information Act, 2005.
+  * Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, §44(3) — notified 14 November 2025.
+  * Supreme Court and High Court judgments cited above.
+  * Central Information Commission and State Information Commission decisions, as indexed in our [[:cases|case-law database]].
+----
+//Last reviewed: 24 April 2026.//
+{{tag>rti-second-appeal-cic-sic rti framework}}

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