RTI to PMO & Central Ministries 2026

Reviewed on: 2026-06-19.

A retired government servant once sent a postal order to “The PMO, South Block” after being told the RTI fee goes to the authority. The application came back. The correct route: pay online at rtionline.gov.in (the Central RTI Online portal) and the system routes the rest.

Central government bodies (PMO, Cabinet Secretariat, Union Ministries) are governed by the Central Information Commission (CIC), not any State Information Commission. Appeals go to the CIC, not to any state body.

The Central RTI Online portal at rtionline.gov.in covers all Ministries, Departments, and other Public Authorities of the Central Government. This includes:

• Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
• Cabinet Secretariat
• All Union Ministries (Finance, Home, Health, Education, Railways, and others)
• Attached offices and subordinate offices of central ministries
• Central PSUs and autonomous bodies set up under central law (where notified)

State government authorities, including Delhi government bodies, are NOT on this portal. Submitting an application for a state authority here will be rejected without fee refund.

[You] --> Visit rtionline.gov.in --> Register / Log in
        |
        v
   Select Public Authority (PMO or Ministry)
        |
        v
   Write your request under s.6(1) RTI Act 2005
        |
        v
   Pay Rs. 10 online (BPL applicants: exempt with proof)
        |
        v
   Application received by Nodal Officer
        |
        v
   Correct authority? --YES--> CPIO processes it
        |                           |
       NO                      Reply within 30 days
        |                      (48 hrs if life/liberty)
        v                           |
   Transfer under s.6(3)       Satisfied? --YES--> Done
   (within 5 days)                 |
        |                          NO
        v                          |
   Concerned CPIO replies     First Appeal to FAA
   within 30 days                  |
                              Still unsatisfied?
                                   |
                              Second Appeal to CIC

Go to rtionline.gov.in and click Submit Request. First-time users must register with a valid mobile number and email address. Keep your login credentials; you will need them to track replies.

The portal shows a searchable list of all central public authorities. Type “Prime Minister” to find the PMO, or search by ministry name (e.g., “Finance”, “Health”). Selecting the right authority at this stage avoids delays.

Tip: If your query spans two ministries, file separate applications to each. Do not club two public authorities in one application.

Section 6(1) requires only that you describe the information sought; no reasons are needed. Be specific:

• What records you want (documents, noting sheets, file numbers).
• The period it covers (financial year, date range).
• Any reference numbers (scheme name, file number, tender number).

Avoid vague requests. Write: “Please provide certified copies of all orders issued by [Ministry] on [Scheme] between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.” Attach a PDF if the text box is insufficient.

• Fee: Rs. 10 per application (verified: rtionline.gov.in user manual).
• Payment modes: Internet banking, debit/credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, RuPay), UPI.
• BPL exemption: Applicants below the poverty line (BPL) pay no fee but must upload a copy of the BPL certificate.
• No cash or postal order is accepted through this portal.

Once payment is confirmed, you receive a registration number. Save it. This is your reference for all future tracking, reminders, and appeals.

Under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act 2005, the CPIO must provide information within 30 days of receipt of the application. Where the information relates to the life or liberty of a person, the time limit is 48 hours.

The Nodal Officer routes your application electronically to the CPIO of the relevant Ministry or the PMO. If the authority you selected is not the right one, the Nodal Officer transfers it under Section 6(3) within 5 days to the correct public authority. The 30-day clock for that authority starts from the date of transfer.

You can track your application at rtionline.gov.in using your registration number.

Under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act 2005, you can file a first appeal:

• When: Within 30 days of the date you received (or should have received) the reply. If no reply comes within 30 days, you can appeal from day 31.
• To whom: The First Appellate Authority (FAA) is an officer senior in rank to the CPIO in the same ministry. For the PMO, the FAA is designated within the PMO.
• How: Use the “Submit First Appeal” option at rtionline.gov.in with your registration number. No additional fee.
• Deadline for FAA decision: 30 days, extendable by a further 15 days.

If the FAA also does not reply, or you are still dissatisfied, file a second appeal or complaint to the Central Information Commission (CIC) at cic.gov.in. The CIC can:

• Direct the public authority to disclose the information.
• Impose a penalty on the CPIO under Section 20(1) of the RTI Act 2005: Rs. 250 per day of delay, subject to a maximum of Rs. 25,000.
• Recommend disciplinary action against the CPIO.

Section 6(3) of the RTI Act 2005 is the transfer provision. If an application is received by a public authority that does not hold the relevant information, it must transfer the application to the correct authority within 5 days and inform the applicant. The receiving authority then has 30 days from the date of transfer to reply.

On the rtionline.gov.in portal, this transfer happens electronically. You will see the new authority reflected in your application status. The portal will also notify you by SMS/email.

Practical note: If your question concerns a scheme jointly administered by two ministries (for example, PM-KISAN, which involves Agriculture Ministry data), address your RTI to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. You can separately track your scheme status via the dedicated PM-KISAN status tool.

Section 8 of the RTI Act 2005 lists information a CPIO may deny. Common ones for central ministries:

• Cabinet papers before the decision is made public (s.8(1)(i)).
• Information affecting sovereignty, security of the State (s.8(1)(a)).
• Commercial confidence or third-party trade secrets (s.8(1)(d)).
• Personal information with no bearing on public activity (s.8(1)(j)).

Any denial must be in writing citing the specific sub-section. A refusal without applying the public interest override test under s.8(2) is a ground for your first appeal.

Yes, if the matter is handled by the PMO or a central ministry. But if the relevant authority is a state government department, the PMO will transfer or reject the application. For state government matters, use the respective state's RTI portal.

No. Section 6(2) of the RTI Act 2005 explicitly states that an applicant is not required to give reasons for seeking information. However, stating the context can help the CPIO identify the right records faster.

You may file by post to the CPIO of the concerned Ministry, with a demand draft or postal order for Rs. 10 payable to the Accounts Officer of that Ministry. For the PMO specifically, address the application to: “The CPIO, Prime Minister's Office, South Block, New Delhi 110 011.” Verify the exact CPIO name and designation on pmindia.gov.in before posting.

Each s.6(3) transfer starts a fresh 30-day clock for the receiving authority. If that authority also misses the deadline, file a first appeal to its FAA from day 31 via rtionline.gov.in.

Yes. Central ministry RTI is the right route for information about fund releases, utilisation certificates, and central allocations. Address to the CPIO of the relevant ministry (e.g., Ministry of Finance for central grants; Ministry of Rural Development for MGNREGS funds). For grievances related to scheme delivery, you can also raise a complaint via CPGRAMS, the Central Government grievance portal.

An APIO (Assistant Public Information Officer) at a sub-divisional post office can accept your written application and forward it to the CPIO. The 30-day clock starts when the CPIO receives it. Use this route if you have no internet access.

No. The first appeal to the FAA and the second appeal or complaint to the CIC are both free of charge.

File an RTI to: the CPIO, Prime Minister's Office / the concerned central Ministry

• What records or files exist regarding [the scheme / policy / order] I am inquiring about?
• Copies of all orders, circulars, or notifications issued by this Ministry on [the subject] between [dates].
• The file notings and correspondence related to [specific matter or reference number].
• The name and designation of the officer responsible for processing [specific decision or fund release].
• The total amount of funds released to [state/district/beneficiary] under [scheme name] during [period] and utilisation certificates received.

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

• RTI Act 2005, Sections 6, 7, 8, 19, 20: rti.dopt.gov.in
• Central RTI Online Portal: rtionline.gov.in
• RTI Online User Manual (PDF): rtionline.gov.in/viewPDF.php
• RTI Online FAQ: rtionline.gov.in/faq.php
• Department of Personnel and Training, RTI Division: rti.dopt.gov.in
• Central Information Commission: cic.gov.in

By Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak