The Right to Information Act, 2005 applies fully in Tamil Nadu. State-specific rules under §27 govern fee, format, and First Appeal procedure. Capital: Chennai. State Information Commission: https://www.tnsic.gov.in. RTI fee: ₹50. Online portal: Not yet — file by post. This guide gives you the operational rules + sample RTIs + key state authorities + escalation ladder for Tamil Nadu 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 ₹50 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.

Tamil Nadu SIC · Corporation of Chennai · CMDA

For Central Government RTIs filed FROM Tamil Nadu, use rtionline.gov.in which routes to the relevant central ministry.

To:
The Public Information Officer,
[Department name],
Government of Tamil Nadu,
[Department address, Chennai].

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 ₹50 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 Tamil Nadu,
[Address, Chennai].

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,
Tamil Nadu State Information Commission,
[Address from https://www.tnsic.gov.in].

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

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

• Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam v. Govt of TN (Madras HC 2024) — TN Right to Service Act — 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 Tamil Nadu SIC.
6. Last resort — Writ under Article 226 to the High Court of Tamil Nadu.

• CPGRAMS (Central): pgportal.gov.in
• State portal: Not yet — file by post
• State SIC: https://www.tnsic.gov.in
• National RTI helpline: Use the state's general grievance number.

₹50 under the Tamil Nadu RTI Rules. BPL exempt under §7(5). Pay via Indian Postal Order (IPO) for postal filings or via the online portal where available.

No — Tamil Nadu 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 Tamil Nadu SIC composition is updated on its website https://www.tnsic.gov.in. 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 Tamil Nadu. 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 — rti.gov.in
• Tamil Nadu RTI Rules (state notification)
• Tamil Nadu State Information Commission — https://www.tnsic.gov.in
• Central Information Commission — cic.gov.in

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