Punjab RTI rules — filing, fees and appeals
Quick Reply: RTI in Punjab costs ₹10 (BPL: free). File on the state portal rtionline.punjab.gov.in (working, though department routing is patchy — keep your registration number) or on paper with the PIO. Punjabi, Hindi or English all work. Appeals are free; the Punjab State Information Commission sits at Chandigarh.
A reference note on the working of the Right to Information Act, 2005 in Punjab. Fee and portal status verified against state sources on 26 August 2026; for a live matter, confirm against the Punjab Government Gazette or the Commission's website.
The State Information Commission
The Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC) is constituted under Section 15 of the RTI Act, 2005, seated at Chandigarh. It hears second appeals under Section 19(3) and complaints under Section 18 concerning State public authorities. Filing before the Commission costs nothing — Punjab prescribes no appeal fee.
Applicable rules
- The Punjab Right to Information Rules, 2005 — the State rules on form, fee and procedure.
- The Punjab State Information Commission (Appeal Procedure) Rules — procedure before the Commission.
- Language: applications may be filed in Punjabi, Hindi or English (§6(1) read with Article 350).
Fees
| Item | Fee |
| Application (State public authorities) | ₹10 |
| First appeal (§19(1)) | Free |
| Second appeal / complaint to the PSIC | Free |
| BPL applicants | ₹0 for everything (§7(5); attach certificate copy) |
| Photocopies, CDs, inspection | As the Rules' rate card prescribes — ask the PIO to quote the rule |
Payment on paper: Indian Postal Order, demand draft, or cash against receipt at the counter.
Filing an RTI in Punjab
- Online: rtionline.punjab.gov.in — working, but department routing is patchy: if the portal routes to the wrong office, the PIO still owes you a §6(3) transfer within 5 days, not a closure.
- On paper: to the PIO of the concerned department — Revenue, Home, Rural Development, Agriculture, Local Government — or the Deputy Commissioner's office for district matters.
- Central offices in Punjab (Income Tax, Railways, Posts): file at rtionline.gov.in.
- Step-by-step: How to File RTI Online in India.
The clocks and the appeal route
- Reply due in 30 days (48 hours for life-and-liberty matters).
- First appeal — free, to the department's First Appellate Officer; 30 days is the safe window.
- Second appeal — to the PSIC within 90 days of the FAA order; a §18 complaint lies directly for refusal to accept the application or illegal fee demands.
- Drafting help: First Appeal Generator.
FAQs
The portal misrouted my application and closed it — what now?
First appeal citing the registration number and §6(3): a wrong route is the PIO's transfer duty, never a ground to close.
Punjabi application to a Punjabi-medium office — any risk?
None; Punjabi is expressly lawful. A refusal to accept a Punjabi application is appealable.
Do appeals cost anything in Punjab?
No — no first-appeal fee, no Commission fee.
Can I hand-deliver at the Deputy Commissioner's office?
Yes — take the receiving copy with date and stamp; that starts the 30-day clock.
Related
Sources
- The Right to Information Act, 2005 (No. 22 of 2005), Sections 6, 7, 15, 18, 19, 27; §7(5).
- The Punjab Right to Information Rules, 2005; Punjab State Information Commission (Appeal Procedure) Rules.
- Fee and portal status cross-checked against state sources on 26 August 2026 (see the state fee hub verification note).
Last reviewed: 27 August 2026. Fee firmed to Rs 10; appeal-free position and the portal routing caveat added from the 26-August-2026 hub verification.