Uttar Pradesh RTI rules - 2026 citizen guide
Uttar Pradesh applies the Uttar Pradesh Right to Information Rules, 2015 (made under §27 of the RTI Act, 2005) for all state public authorities. The fee is ₹10 per application (BPL: zero). Reply deadline: 30 days under §7(1) of the central RTI Act, which UP cannot reduce. Online filing is via the rtionline.up.gov.in portal (live since 2018, partial state-department coverage). Postal Speed Post (AD) remains the universal fallback.
Quick fee schedule
| Stage | Fee | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Application (§6) | ₹10 | IPO / court-fee / DD / online |
| Per A4 photocopy | ₹2 | paid on collection |
| CD (electronic record) | ₹50 per CD | paid on collection |
| Inspection of records | free for first hour, ₹5 per 15 min after | pay at office |
| BPL applicant | Zero | attach BPL certificate |
| First Appeal | Zero (§19(1) is free across India) | - |
| Second Appeal to UP SIC | Zero (§19(3) is free) | - |
Statutory framework
- Central: Right to Information Act, 2005 - applies sitewide; UP cannot reduce 30-day timeline, increase fee beyond §7(3) cap, or carve new §8 exemptions.
- UP-specific: Uttar Pradesh Right to Information Rules, 2015 (notified 26 May 2015), made under §27 of the central Act. UP State Information Commission portal.
- Online: rtionline.up.gov.in - SBI ePay payment, partial department coverage. Postal route is the universal fallback.
Where to file
- First, identify the right department - the Office of the Public Information Officer (PIO). District-level: PIO at the District Magistrate's office. State-level: PIO at the department secretariat in Lucknow (Bapu Bhavan / Yojana Bhavan).
- First Appeal: Office of the Appellate Authority - usually the immediate senior to the PIO, named on the same office's RTI page.
- Second Appeal: Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission, Indira Bhavan, Ashok Marg, Lucknow 226001. information.up.nic.in.
Sample RTI letter for UP
Use our AI RTI Drafter - it auto-fills the UP-specific fee paragraph (IPO ₹10) and addresses the Tehsildar / DM / Department PIO format.
For state-specific scenarios:
- Sample RTI for land mutation (UP Revenue Code 2006 §34 - 45-day window)
Common mistakes filing in UP
- Wrong fee mode - UP accepts IPO + court-fee stamp + online; demand drafts often returned. Check before mailing.
- Sending to district when subject is state-level - addressing a state-policy RTI to the DM office gets it transferred (delaying 5+ days). Address department secretariat directly.
- Forgetting §6(3) - if the wrong office, the PIO must transfer within 5 days. Always invoke §6(3) explicitly in the application.
- No Hindi translation - UP is bilingual. If the PIO replies in Hindi only, you can request English; the PIO can charge for translation.
UP State Information Commission - state of pendency
As per the Anjali Bhardwaj v. UoI (2019) monitored data, the UP SIC has had a backlog of 40,000+ second appeals for several years, with a vacancy rate of 4 of 11 ICs as of December 2024. If your second appeal has been pending for 2+ years, you can directly approach the Allahabad High Court under Article 226.
Citations and sources
- Right to Information Act, 2005 - full text
- Uttar Pradesh RTI Rules, 2015 - notified 26 May 2015
- UP Revenue Code, 2006 - §34 land mutation timelines
Related on RTI Wiki
Last reviewed: 4 May 2026.