Andaman & Nicobar (UT) RTI Guide 2026

The Right to Information Act, 2005 applies fully in Andaman & Nicobar (UT). State-specific rules under §27 govern fee, format, and First Appeal procedure. Capital: Port Blair. State Information Commission: (no dedicated state portal). RTI fee: ₹10. Online portal: Not yet — file by post. This guide gives you the operational rules + sample RTIs + key state authorities + escalation ladder for Andaman & Nicobar (UT) citizens.

Reviewed on: 23 April 2026.

1. Online (where available): Use the state portal Not yet — file by post.
2. By post: Address to the Public Information Officer of the concerned department. Send by Registered Post.
3. Walk-in: At the department's office during working hours. Get a dated receipt.
4. Pay ₹10 via Indian Postal Order (IPO) in favour of “Accounts Officer, [Department]” — OR via the online portal payment gateway.
5. BPL applicants: No fee. Attach BPL/Antyodaya/AAY card.

Lieutenant Governor's Office · DC office

For Central Government RTIs filed FROM Andaman & Nicobar (UT), use rtionline.gov.in which routes to the relevant central ministry.

To:
The Public Information Officer,
[Department name],
Government of Andaman & Nicobar (UT),
[Department address, Port Blair].

Subject: RTI under §6 of the RTI Act, 2005 — [your subject]

Sir/Madam,

Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, I, [Name], resident of
[address with PIN], request the following information:

1. [Specific item 1.]
2. [Specific item 2.]
3. Copy of the noting sheet of the file from receipt till the date
   of this reply.
4. Name, designation, and contact of the dealing officer at present.
5. Service standard / SLA applicable to this matter and the reason
   for delay, if any.

I am enclosing ₹10 via IPO in favour of "Accounts Officer,
[Department]". (BPL applicants: card copy enclosed; fee waived under §7(5).)

Yours faithfully,
[Name]
[Address, mobile, email]
Date: [Today]

To:
The First Appellate Authority,
[Senior officer designation, e.g., Joint Secretary],
[Department name], Government of Andaman & Nicobar (UT),
[Address, Port Blair].

Subject: First Appeal under §19(1) of the RTI Act, 2005

[See full template at https://righttoinformation.wiki/rti-first-appeal-second-appeal-guide]

To:
The Registrar,
Andaman & Nicobar (UT) State Information Commission,
[Address from (no dedicated state portal)].

Subject: Second Appeal under §19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005

[See full template at https://righttoinformation.wiki/rti-first-appeal-second-appeal-guide]

• (no specific HC ruling; CIC handles) — currently controlling on this state's RTI practice.
• General Supreme Court rulings apply: see 10 Landmark SC RTI Rulings.
• Apply HC rulings of your jurisdiction.

• Passport delay → Passport Delay RTI
• EPF / PF claim → EPFO Claim Status RTI
• Income Tax refund → IT Refund RTI
• PAN card delay → PAN Card Delay RTI
• FIR copy → How to Get an FIR Copy
• MGNREGA wage delay → MGNREGA RTI
• PMAY status → PMAY Status RTI
• Driving licence → Driving Licence RTI
• Ration card → Ration Card RTI
• IRCTC refund → IRCTC RTI

1. Day 0 — File RTI to PIO (online or registered post).
2. Day 30 — PIO reply due under §7(1).
3. Day 60 — First Appeal under §19(1) to FAA (within 30 days of PIO order).
4. Day 60-105 — FAA decision due (30-45 days under §19(6)).
5. Day 195 — Second Appeal under §19(3) to Andaman & Nicobar (UT) SIC.
6. Last resort — Writ under Article 226 to the High Court of Andaman & Nicobar (UT).

• CPGRAMS (Central): pgportal.gov.in
• State portal: Not yet — file by post
• State SIC: (no dedicated state portal)
• National RTI helpline: Use the state's general grievance number.

₹10 under the Andaman & Nicobar (UT) RTI Rules. BPL exempt under §7(5). Pay via Indian Postal Order (IPO) for postal filings or via the online portal where available.

No — Andaman & Nicobar (UT) does not yet have a unified RTI online portal. File by Registered Post to the concerned department's PIO. Some specific departments may have their own grievance portals.

The Andaman & Nicobar (UT) SIC composition is updated on its website (no dedicated state portal). Composition changes periodically — check the website for current Commissioners.

If the Second Appeal hearing is delayed beyond reasonable time, file a writ petition under Article 226 to the High Court of Andaman & Nicobar (UT). The HC has supervisory jurisdiction over the SIC.

(a) Indian Postal Order (IPO) in favour of the Accounts Officer of the concerned department; (b) Demand Draft in some districts; © Online via the state portal where it accepts payment; (d) Cash at counter during walk-in filing (get receipt).

• All-states RTI comparison
• First Appeal & Second Appeal Complete Guide
• §8 Exemptions explained
• Fee Calculator
• Deadline Calculator
• AI RTI Drafter

• Right to Information Act, 2005 — cic.gov.in
• Andaman & Nicobar (UT) RTI Rules (state notification)
• Andaman & Nicobar (UT) State Information Commission — (no dedicated state portal)
• Central Information Commission — cic.gov.in

Last reviewed: 23 April 2026 by the RTI Wiki editorial team.

RTI in Andaman and Nicobar Islands — complete guide on rules, fees, and filing:

1. Step 1: Background. (a) the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a Union Territory (UT — administered by the Central Government — through a Lieutenant Governor — the UT does not have a legislature — and the Central laws apply directly), (b) the Central RTI Act, 2005 applies to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (as it is a UT — the Central Act applies — and the Central RTI Rules, 2012 apply — for fee and procedure), © the Andaman and Nicobar Administration is the public authority (for all departments — including the Deputy Commissioner's office, the PWD, the Health Department, the Education Department, the Police, and the Port Management Board), (d) there is no separate State Information Commission for A&N (the Central Information Commission (CIC) hears second appeals — for the A&N Administration — as it is a UT).
2. Step 2: How to file RTI in A&N. (a) the RTI application is filed with the PIO of the concerned department (the Deputy Commissioner's office — or the department head — at Port Blair — or at the sub-division level — at the Assistant Commissioner's office), (b) the fee is Rs 10 (payable by IPO — or court-fee stamp — or cash — at the PIO's office — or online through rtionline.gov.in), © the application can be in English or Hindi (the official languages — the PIO must accept applications in English or Hindi — under Section 6(1)), (d) the PIO must respond within 30 days (48 hours if the information concerns life or liberty — under Section 7(1)), (e) the first appeal is filed with the FAA (designated by the department — within 30 days of the PIO's response — or non-response), (f) the second appeal is filed with the Central Information Commission (CIC — in New Delhi — within 90 days of the FAA's order — or non-response — the appeal can be filed online — through the CIC portal — or by post).
3. Step 3: Online filing. (a) the Central government's online RTI portal (rtionline.gov.in — select Andaman and Nicobar Administration as the public authority — and the concerned department), (b) the fee can be paid online (Rs 10 — through net banking, UPI, or credit/debit card), © the online portal generates a registration number (for tracking — and the PIO's response is sent electronically), (d) if the department is not listed on the portal: file offline (by post — to the PIO — at Port Blair — with an IPO of Rs 10 — drawn in favour of the “Accounts Officer” of the concerned department).
4. Step 4: A&N-specific issues. (a) island connectivity (the A&N Islands are spread across 500+ km — with 38 inhabited islands — the inter-island connectivity is limited — and the PIOs in remote islands may not receive the RTI application — or may not respond — within 30 days — due to logistical delays), (b) tribal area restrictions (certain islands — like the North Sentinele Island, the Jarawa Reserve — are restricted — under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation, 1956 — and RTI on these areas may be rejected — under Section 8(1)(a) — security and strategic interests — or Section 8(1)(j) — personal information), © environmental issues (the A&N Islands are ecologically sensitive — with forests, coral reefs, and marine life — RTI on environmental clearances, mining, and tourism projects — is important — and the PIO may cite Section 8(1)(d) — commercial confidence — or Section 8(1)(a) — security), (d) disaster management (the A&N Islands are prone to earthquakes, tsunamis, and cyclones — RTI on disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and relief distribution — is important — especially after the 2004 tsunami), (e) land records (the land records in A&N are maintained by the Revenue Department — at the Deputy Commissioner's office — and the records may be in English — but the process is slow — and the PIO may not respond).
5. Step 5: File RTI on A&N-specific issues. (a) land records: ask the Deputy Commissioner (Revenue Department) for: (i) the land records of [survey number] (at [village/island] — the patta, the mutation — for the year [year]), (ii) the status of land allotment (for [name] — the allotment order — and the possession certificate), (b) shipping and transport: ask the Directorate of Shipping Services for: (i) the ship/schedule status (of [route] — the frequency — and the fares), (ii) the status of ship procurement (the order — the delivery — and the expenditure), © tourism: ask the Tourism Department for: (i) the tourism projects (in [island] — the budget — the expenditure — and the environmental clearance), (ii) the resort/hotel licences (in [island] — the list — and the conditions), (d) environment: ask the Forest Department for: (i) the environmental clearance status (of [project] — the clearance — the conditions — and the compliance), (ii) the forest diversion (the area diverted — for [project] — and the compensatory afforestation), (e) disaster management: ask the Disaster Management Authority for: (i) the tsunami early warning system (the status — the coverage — and the testing), (ii) the disaster relief distribution (for [disaster] — the beneficiaries — the amount — and the items).
6. Step 6: Central Information Commission. (a) the second appeal is filed with the CIC (in New Delhi — the CIC hears appeals for all UTs — including A&N — the appeal can be filed online — through the CIC portal — cic.gov.in — or by post), (b) the CIC can: (i) order the PIO to provide the information (within a specified timeline), (ii) impose a penalty (Rs 250 per day — up to Rs 25,000 — under Section 20(1)), (iii) recommend disciplinary action (against the PIO — under Section 20(2)), © the CIC conducts hearings (in New Delhi — or through video conferencing — the appellant from A&N can attend through video conferencing — without travelling to Delhi), (d) the CIC's orders are available on the website (cic.gov.in — for reference), (e) the CIC's order is binding on the A&N Administration (but can be challenged — in the Calcutta High Court — Port Blair circuit bench — under Article 226 — as A&N falls under the Calcutta High Court jurisdiction).
7. Step 7: Practical tips. (a) use the online portal (rtionline.gov.in — for faster filing — and tracking — especially from remote islands — where postal delays are common), (b) be specific (the PIOs in A&N may not be well-trained — be specific — and avoid vague queries — which can be rejected), © cite the Central RTI Act (the Central Act applies — cite the Central Act and the Central Rules — not any state Act), (d) allow for postal delays (if filing by post — allow 5-10 days for delivery — and file early — to account for delays), (e) use video conferencing (for CIC hearings — request video conferencing — to avoid travelling to Delhi — which is expensive and time-consuming from A&N), (f) Example: A citizen from Car Nicobar filed RTI with the Deputy Commissioner — asking for the tsunami relief distribution records — the PIO did not respond — the citizen filed a first appeal — the FAA ordered the PIO to respond — the PIO provided the records — showing that the relief was distributed to 50 families — but 20 families were left out — the citizen used the RTI reply to get the relief for the 20 left-out families — Rs 2 lakh each.

See A&N RTI and Find PIO.