RTI Reply Not Received? Escalate It 2026

Reviewed on: 2026-06-19.

When you file an RTI application, the Public Information Officer (PIO) has 30 days to reply. For applications that concern the life or liberty of a person, that window shrinks to 48 hours. If the PIO neither sends information nor gives a valid written reason for refusing by day 30, Section 7(2) of the Right to Information Act 2005 deems the non-reply a refusal.

A deemed refusal is legally identical to a written refusal. That single fact unlocks the full appeal mechanism under Sections 19 and 20 of the Act. You do not need to wait for a formal rejection letter.

[You filed RTI]
       |
       v
Day 30 passes with no reply
       |
       v
Silence = Deemed Refusal (s.7(2))
       |
       v
File First Appeal to First Appellate Authority (s.19(1))
  -> Must file within 30 days of deemed refusal
  -> FAA decides within 30 days (max 45 days with reasons)
       |
       |-- FAA orders disclosure? -> Done
       |
       |-- FAA silent (45 days) OR unsatisfactory order?
              |
              v
       File Second Appeal to CIC / SIC (s.19(3))
         -> File within 90 days of FAA decision or 45-day expiry
         -> CIC/SIC can impose Rs 250/day penalty on PIO (s.20)
              |
              v
           CIC/SIC order is final and binding

Keep a copy of your original RTI application with the date of submission or the acknowledgement number from rtionline.gov.in. If you filed online, the portal issues a registration number you can use to track status.

Mark day 30 from the date of application (not from acknowledgement). If that date falls on a holiday, the next working day counts. From day 31 onwards, you are entitled to file a first appeal.

One exception: if the PIO transferred your application to another public authority under Section 6(3), the 30-day clock restarts from the date of receipt by that authority. Check your portal status before counting.

The First Appellate Authority (FAA) is a senior officer in the same public authority, usually designated by name on the authority's website or its RTI Manual.

Under Section 19(1), you must file the first appeal within 30 days of the date the reply was due (or the date you received a refusal order). The FAA can condone delay if you show sufficient cause.

What your first appeal should contain:

• Your name and address, registration number and date of the original RTI application
• Name and designation of the PIO (if known)
• A clear statement that no reply was received by day 30, making it a deemed refusal under Section 7(2)
• The specific information sought and the relief you seek: direction to the PIO to furnish it

Online route: If your RTI was filed through rtionline.gov.in, log in, select your registration number, and choose “File First Appeal.”

Offline route: Send a signed letter by registered post to the FAA of the concerned ministry or department. Keep proof of submission.

Under Section 19(3), the FAA must decide within 30 days, extendable to 45 days with reasons. If the FAA is silent after 45 days or gives an unsatisfactory order, move to Step 3.

For central government public authorities, the second appeal goes to the Central Information Commission (CIC) at cic.gov.in. For state government bodies, it goes to the State Information Commission (SIC) of the relevant state.

Under Section 19(7), you must file the second appeal within 90 days from:

• the date you received the FAA's order (if unsatisfactory), or
• the expiry of 45 days from filing the first appeal (if the FAA gave no reply).

The CIC can condone delay beyond 90 days if you give sufficient cause.

Online filing for central authorities: Go to dsscic.nic.in and submit your second appeal with copies of (a) the original RTI application, (b) the first appeal, and © the FAA order if any.

What to include:

• Full particulars of the original RTI and first appeal
• A clear ground: no information provided within the statutory period
• A request that the Commission direct the PIO to provide the information and impose penalty under Section 20

CIC helpline: 011-26767500 | Email: fdesk-cic[at]gov[dot]in

At the time of deciding your second appeal or complaint, the Commission may, on its own or on your request, impose a penalty on the PIO.

Section 20(1) of the RTI Act 2005 provides:

• Penalty of Rs 250 per day for each day the information was withheld beyond the deadline.
• Total penalty capped at Rs 25,000.
• Burden is on the PIO to prove reasonable and diligent conduct.
• The PIO must be heard before penalty is imposed.

Section 20(2) allows the Commission to recommend disciplinary action against a PIO who has persistently failed.

Simply state in your second appeal that you seek penalty under Section 20(1) and state how many days the information has been withheld.

A late reply does not close your appeal. You may accept it and withdraw, or pursue the penalty prayer for the unreasonable delay. The choice is yours.

No. The penalty is imposed by the CIC or SIC, not the FAA. File your first appeal with the FAA first. If you are unsatisfied, file a second appeal with the CIC or SIC and include your penalty request in that filing.

Every central ministry and most state departments publish their RTI Manual on their official website. The manual names the FAA. You can also check the RTI disclosure section at rtionline.gov.in or ask the same office where you filed the RTI.

No. Under the RTI Act 2005, appeals are free. You do not pay any fee at the first appeal or second appeal stage.

Not ordinarily. The CIC requires proof that you filed a first appeal. The only exception is a direct complaint under Section 18, for instance if the concerned authority has no designated PIO. Even then, the Commission may direct you to pursue the appeal route first.

Keep: (a) a copy of your RTI application, (b) proof of submission (the acknowledgement number or postal receipt), © the application fee receipt (Rs 10 for central government), (d) any reply or rejection letter from the PIO, and (e) all appeal filings and orders. These are mandatory for second appeal registration at the CIC.

CIC and SIC orders are final under the Act. You may challenge a CIC order before the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution if the Commission has acted contrary to law. Seek legal advice before pursuing this route.

The RTI Act does not set a fixed decision deadline for the Commission. Pendency varies and case backlogs exist. Track your case status at cic.gov.in.

If you filed an RTI, were denied or ignored, and want information to support your appeal, such as the name of the designated FAA, copies of office orders, or disposal statistics: use a fresh RTI application.

File an RTI to: the First Appellate Authority, then the CIC/SIC

• What is the name and designation of the Public Information Officer for this department as on [date]?
• What is the name and designation of the First Appellate Authority for this department?
• How many RTI applications were received and disposed of by this office in the last 12 months?
• How many first appeals were filed against this department in the last 12 months, and what was their outcome?
• What action has been taken on RTI application number [your registration number] filed on [date]?

→ Use our free AI RTI Drafter to generate a complete Section 6(1) application.

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• Right to Information Act 2005, Sections 6, 7, 18, 19, 20: indiacode.nic.in
• RTI Online Portal (file RTI and first appeal online): rtionline.gov.in
• Central Information Commission, Penalties (s.20 text verified): cic.gov.in/penalties
• CIC Second Appeal Guidelines (mandatory documents and time limits): cic.gov.in/second-appeal-guidelines
• CIC Online Second Appeal Submission: dsscic.nic.in

By Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak