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+{{htmlmetatags>metatag-keywords=(West Bengal RTI rules,WB RTI fee,WB Information Commission,Right to Information Rules West Bengal,RTI Kolkata)
+metatag-description=(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 RTI rules - 2026 citizen guide ======
+{{ :social:auto:rules-west-bengal-start.png?direct&1200 |West Bengal RTI rules - 2026 citizen guide — RTI Wiki}}
+<WRAP center round info 95%>
+**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.
+</WRAP>
+**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). [[https://wbric.gov.in|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. [[https://wbric.gov.in|wbric.gov.in]].
+===== Sample RTI letter for WB =====
+Use our [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/ai-rti-draft-app.html|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 [[:guide:applicant:application:sample:start|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** - [[:act|full text]]
+  * **West Bengal RTI Rules, 2006** - notified 13 March 2006
+  * [[https://wbric.gov.in|WB SIC official portal]]
+  * [[:cases|RTI case-law database]]
+===== Related on RTI Wiki =====
+  * [[:rules|All-state RTI rules]]
+  * [[:act|RTI Act, 2005]]
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/ai-rti-draft-app.html|AI RTI Drafter]]
+  * [[:rti-fees-by-state|State-wise fee chart]]
+//Last reviewed: 4 May 2026.//
+{{tag>west-bengal wb-rti-rules-2006 wb-ric state-rti rti-fees kolkata nabanna 2026}}