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West Bengal RTI rules - 2026 citizen guide
Quick Reply: West Bengal RTI Rules 2006 - fee, format, FAA + State Information Commission contact for RTI in WB. Updated 2026 with current rate card, online filing portal.
West Bengal applies the West Bengal Right to Information Rules, 2006 (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. Online filing is via the wbric.gov.in portal (limited departments); Speed Post (AD) is the universal fallback.
Quick fee schedule
| Stage | Fee | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Application (§6) | ₹10 | IPO / court-fee / DD / online |
| Per A4 photocopy | ₹2 | paid on collection |
| Larger size copy | actual cost | 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 | - |
| Second Appeal to WB SIC | Zero | - |
Statutory framework
- Central: Right to Information Act, 2005.
- WB-specific: West Bengal Right to Information Rules, 2006 (notified 13 March 2006). West Bengal State Information Commission portal.
- Online: wbric.gov.in (limited departments).
Where to file
- District-level: PIO at the Office of the District Magistrate / Sub-Divisional Officer.
- State-level: PIO at the department secretariat, Nabanna, Howrah (state secretariat since 2013) or specific Bhavans in Kolkata.
- First Appeal: Appellate Authority at the same office (one rung above PIO).
- Second Appeal: West Bengal Information Commission, Bhabani Bhavan, 31, Belvedere Road, Alipore, Kolkata 700027. wbric.gov.in.
Sample RTI letter for WB
Use our AI RTI Drafter - auto-fills WB-specific fee paragraph + Bengali/English bilingual support.
Common mistakes filing in WB
- Bengali-only application - while Bengali is accepted, slower processing. Bilingual (Bengali + English) is fastest.
- Wrong office for Nabanna-based departments - the entire state secretariat moved from Writers' Building to Nabanna in October 2013. Old addresses bounce back.
- Court-fee stamp variant confusion - use the West Bengal Court Fees Act 1922 stamp, not the central one.
- Sending to Kolkata Police HQ for FIR - that's a separate authority. See sample RTI for FIR.
WB SIC - state of pendency
As per Anjali Bhardwaj v. UoI (2019) monitoring, the WB Information Commission has had a backlog of 15,000+ second appeals as of mid-2024 with a vacancy rate of 3 of 10 IC seats. Appointments restored in March 2025. Average second-appeal disposal time: 12-18 months. If your second appeal has been pending 18+ months, you can approach the Calcutta High Court under Article 226.
Citations and sources
- Right to Information Act, 2005 - full text
- West Bengal RTI Rules, 2006 - notified 13 March 2006
Related on RTI Wiki
Last reviewed: 4 May 2026.
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