About 48 lakh RTI applications were filed across India in 2024-25 (CIC Annual Report 2024-25). Of these, an estimated 22% were rejected at the PIO stage — and the single biggest reason cited in CIC and SIC orders was vagueness. The second was multiple unrelated subjects in one RTI. Both are entirely fixable by the applicant — without legal help.

This is a how-to-write guide, not a “what is RTI” primer. Before you draft your first RTI, you should already have:

• Visited the Public Authority's office or website at least once and asked for the information informally — through a counter, helpdesk, or grievance portal (CPGRAMS, e-Nivaran, jansunwai.up.nic.in, aaplesarkar.maharashtra.gov.in etc.).
• Waited the standard administrative response time (usually 15-30 days) for that informal channel to reply.
• Read the basic structure of the RTI Act, particularly §6 (request for information), §7 (response timeline), and §8 (exemptions). If you haven't, start with RTI in 12 simple steps before you continue here.

If the informal channel has already given you the document or an honest “no, this is exempt under §X”, an RTI is not your next step. RTI is for when the institution could answer but is silent or evasive.

1. Informal channel — counter / helpdesk / grievance portal.
2. RTI application under §6(1) — the topic of this guide.
3. First Appeal under §19(1) — within 30 days of PIO response (or deemed refusal). See How to file First Appeal under §19(1).
4. Second Appeal under §19(3) — to CIC (central) or SIC (state) within 90 days of First Appellate Authority decision. See How to file Second Appeal to CIC/SIC.
5. Writ petition — High Court under Article 226, if Information Commission's order itself is malafide or perverse (rare).

The strength of your RTI application directly decides whether you ever need rungs 3-5. A vague RTI guarantees a First Appeal. A surgical RTI usually ends at rung 2.

The Right to Information Act, 2005 gives every Indian citizen a statutory right under §3 to seek information held by or under the control of a “public authority” (defined broadly under §2(h) — government departments, PSUs, panchayats, courts on their administrative side, even substantially funded NGOs).

The leading case is Aditya Bandopadhyay v. Central Board of Secondary Education (2011) 8 SCC 497, where the Supreme Court held that even answer scripts of public examinations are “information” under §2(f) and are disclosable under RTI. The Court rejected CBSE's argument that disclosure would harm the examination system, and made the broader point that the default position under RTI is disclosure, with §8 exemptions to be read narrowly.

But RTI has hard legal limits. The most important is the Khanapuram Gandaiah v. Administrative Officer & Others (2010) 2 SCC 1 rule: a citizen cannot demand reasons for a judicial or quasi-judicial decision under RTI. You cannot ask “why did the PIO transfer my file” or “why was my pension claim rejected”. You can only ask for the records (the file noting, the office order, the inspection report) — and those records will, in practice, contain the reasons.

The other limit is Bhagat Singh v. Chief Information Commissioner & Others (Delhi HC, WP(C) 3114/2007, decided 3 December 2007), which clarified that the burden of proving an exemption under §8 lies on the PIO, not on the citizen. So you do not need to draft your RTI defensively against §8; you just have to ask for the document.

In one line: RTI is a request for documents that exist. It is not a question-and-answer service.

This is the single most important rule. Every RTI ground rejected on “vagueness” can be saved by replacing questions with document requests.

• Vague: “Please provide details of my application.”
• Specific: “Please provide a certified copy of the file noting dated 14 March 2025 on my application no. MHADA-PMAY-2023-MUM-47821.”

If you don't know the exact document name, ask for the file by reference number. The PIO is then obliged to identify the specific noting / order / correspondence in that file.

The Khanapuram bar. If you write “Why was my pension claim rejected?”, the PIO will refuse — correctly — citing Khanapuram. Instead write: “Please provide a certified copy of the order dated XX rejecting my pension claim no. YY, including the file noting that led to that order.”

The reasons are inside the order. You ask for the order.

The CIC has held in dozens of orders (e.g., CIC/AT/A/2007/00112 and several Bench orders since) that an RTI bundling unrelated subjects is liable to be returned. If you want information on your PMAY application and your child's school admission and a road repair complaint, file three separate RTIs. Each costs ₹10. It is cheaper than the litigation cost of the rejection.

The “one subject” rule is also enforced by most state RTI portals technically — they accept one application per submission.

Always anchor your request to dates. “All correspondence” is vague. “All correspondence between 1 January 2025 and 31 March 2025” is specific.

If the matter is older than three years, the PIO can legitimately invoke §8(1)(j) (personal information not in public interest) or §24 if the records have been weeded under the department's records retention rules. Stay within a defined window.

Tell the PIO how you want it:

• Certified copy — stamped, signed, admissible in court. ₹2 per A4 page (central rules; varies by state).
• Soft copy — emailed PDF. Usually free if the document is already digital.
• Inspection of files — you go to the office, the file is laid out, you inspect for free for the first hour and ₹5 per 15 minutes thereafter (central rules). Useful for large files where you don't yet know what's relevant.

If you don't specify, the PIO chooses, and may default to “inspect at office” — inconvenient if you're far away.

Open the RTI with the words: “Under §6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, I hereby request the following information…”

This is not a technicality. PIOs at the Section Officer / Tehsildar / Junior Engineer level often process scores of letters a day. The §6(1) reference flips your letter from “general correspondence” (no statutory clock) into “RTI application” (30-day clock under §7(1)).

Each Public Authority designates a PIO under §5(1) — and typically multiple PIOs at zonal / circle / departmental level. The PA's website should list them; if it doesn't, that itself is a §4(1)(b) violation (which is appealable).

Rule of thumb:

• Routine clerical info (status of an application, copy of a file): the PIO at the originating section / branch.
• Policy info (a circular, a notification, an inter-departmental order): the PIO at headquarters / ministry.
• Compliance info (whether department X has acted on order Y): the PIO who issued the order.

If you address the wrong PIO, §6(3) requires the PIO to transfer your application to the right one within 5 days — but in practice many simply return it. Don't rely on §6(3); address the right PIO from the start.

If you're seeking information about a central scheme (PMAY-U, Ujjwala, PMSBY, etc.), look at the scheme's official website footer — it usually names the implementing ministry. If it's a state matter (revenue records, ration card, building NOC), it's a state department.

For PSUs (LIC, IOC, ONGC, BSNL, etc.), the PSU itself is a public authority — confirmed by the Supreme Court in RBI v. Jayantilal N. Mistry (2015) 12 SCC 38.

Sources, in order of reliability:

1. The PA's official website → “RTI” or “Right to Information” page (mandatory under §4(1)(b)).
2. rtionline.gov.in → the central PIO directory (for central PAs).
3. Each state's RTI portal (e.g., aaplesarkar.maharashtra.gov.in for Maharashtra, edistrict.up.gov.in for UP, rtionline.kerala.gov.in for Kerala).
4. The PA's reception — they must give you the PIO's name and designation in writing.

Use this template — battle-tested with thousands of applications:

To,
The Public Information Officer,
[Name of Department / Public Authority]
[Address with PIN code]

Subject: Application under Section 6(1) of the Right to Information
Act, 2005

Sir / Madam,

Under Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, I hereby
request the following information held by your office:

  1. Certified copy of [specific document — e.g., file noting dated
     14 March 2025] on application no. [XX] dated [YY].
  2. Certified copy of [next specific document].
  3. List of objections, if any, raised by your office on the said
     application during the period [date] to [date].

Time period of information sought: [date range].
Format of information: [Certified copy / Soft copy via email /
Inspection of files at your office].

I am enclosing herewith the application fee of ₹10 by way of Indian
Postal Order No. [XXX] dated [DD/MM/YYYY], drawn in favour of
[Accounts Officer of the PA].

[OPTIONAL — if BPL]
I am a BPL category cardholder; please find attached a self-attested
copy of my BPL ration card no. [XX]. As per Section 7(5) of the RTI
Act, 2005, no application fee or copying charges are payable.

[OPTIONAL — if this is a follow-up after deemed refusal]
This is in furtherance of my RTI application no. [XX] dated [YY],
which has not been responded to within the statutory 30-day period
under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act.

My contact details are as under:
  Name        : [Full name in capitals]
  Address     : [Postal address with PIN]
  Phone       : [Mobile number]
  Email       : [Email ID]

Yours sincerely,

[Signature]
[Name]
[Date]

Encl: 1. Indian Postal Order for ₹10
      2. [Self-attested ID proof, if requested by PA — not mandatory
         under central rules]

You have three channels:

• Online (recommended for central PAs): https://rtionline.gov.in → “Submit Request” → choose Ministry / Department → fill the form → upload BPL certificate (if claiming waiver) → pay ₹10 by debit card / net banking / UPI. You get a registration number instantly. The PIO is auto-routed.
• State RTI portals (recommended for state PAs): Each state has its own. Maharashtra — aaplesarkar.maharashtra.gov.in. Karnataka — rtionline.karnataka.gov.in. Kerala — rtionline.kerala.gov.in. Delhi — rtionline.delhi.gov.in. Tamil Nadu — tnrti.tn.gov.in.
• Postal — Speed Post with delivery proof: Drop it at the post office, get the tracking number. Speed Post delivery confirmation is the legal proof of receipt; Registered Post is also accepted but slower. Do not use Ordinary Post — no delivery proof, the PIO can claim it never arrived.
• In-person at the PA's reception: Hand over two copies. The reception stamps your “applicant's copy” with date, time, and reception seal. Keep this safe — it's your proof of filing.

Under §7(1), the PIO must respond within 30 days from the date of receipt. The clock includes weekends and holidays. Two exceptions:

• §7(2) — life and liberty information: PIO must respond within 48 hours (e.g., information about a person in custody).
• §6(3) — application transferred to another PA: the 30-day clock restarts at the receiving PA, which has 25 days (the 5-day transfer window is included).

Mark Day 30 in your calendar from the date of postal delivery (use the Speed Post tracking page) or the online registration date.

When the response arrives (by post, email, or portal), check three things:

1. Has every numbered question been answered? PIOs sometimes skip a sub-question.
2. Has the PIO invoked an exemption under §8 or §9? If yes, which sub-clause? §8(1)(a) (sovereignty), §8(1)(d) (commercial confidence), §8(1)(j) (personal information), §9 (third-party copyright)? Each has narrow tests.
3. Has the PIO charged extra for copying? Central rate is ₹2/page; many states are similar. If charged ₹10/page, that's excess and appealable.

If the response is satisfactory — done. If not, see How to file First Appeal under §19(1) (the next sibling article in this batch).

Even after the matter is closed, keep:

• A scan of your filed RTI (with reception stamp / Speed Post receipt / online acknowledgement).
• A scan of the PIO's response.
• A scan of the documents disclosed.

These become evidence if you later need to appeal, file a writ, or pursue the underlying matter (PMAY allotment, pension, refund). Cloud storage with two backups is enough.

+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Application fee (central RTI)     | ₹10 by IPO / DD / cash / online      |
|                                   | payment. NIL if BPL under §7(5).     |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Application fee (state RTI)       | Varies — ₹10 to ₹50. Maharashtra ₹10 |
|                                   | UP ₹10, TN ₹10, Karnataka ₹10,       |
|                                   | Kerala ₹10. NIL if BPL.              |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Copying charges (central)         | ₹2 per A4 page. NIL if BPL or if PIO |
|                                   | breaches 30-day deadline (§7(6)).    |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Inspection of files (central)     | First hour free; ₹5 per 15 min       |
|                                   | thereafter. NIL if BPL.              |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Soft-copy / CD / pen-drive        | ₹50 (CD) or actual cost (pen-drive). |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| PIO response deadline (§7(1))     | 30 days from receipt. 48 hours for   |
|                                   | life/liberty info under §7(2).       |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Free of cost if PIO is late       | §7(6) — even non-BPL applicants get  |
|                                   | the info free if PIO breaches 30 d.  |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| First Appeal window (§19(1))      | 30 days from PIO response (or from   |
|                                   | the date response was due).          |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Second Appeal window (§19(3))     | 90 days from FAA decision (or from   |
|                                   | when FAA decision was due — 45 d).   |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+

• “Information is vague.” You wrote a question, not a document request. Rewrite using Principle 1.
• “Multiple subjects in single application.” Split into separate RTIs (Principle 3).
• “Application seeks reasons / opinion.” Khanapuram Gandaiah bar. Ask for the order or file noting, not the “why”.
• “Information is exempt under §8(1)(j) — personal information.” Often misused. The Supreme Court in Girish Ramchandra Deshpande v. CIC (2013) 1 SCC 212 allowed §8(1)(j) for service records of individual govt servants. But your own information about yourself is never “third-party personal” — cite §11 if PIO confuses this.
• “Information involves disproportionate diversion of resources.” PIO citing §7(9) — defensible only if the PA can show genuine compilation burden. Counter by narrowing the time period or asking for inspection of files instead of certified copies.
• “Application not accompanied by prescribed fee.” You forgot the IPO. Refile with fee, or write back enclosing IPO. Under §7(3), PIO can ask for additional fee in writing.
• “Application not signed / pseudonymous.” RTI must be filed in your real name. Anonymous RTIs are rejected — confirmed by Namit Sharma v. Union of India (2013) 1 SCC 745.
• “Wrong PIO addressed.” Either the PIO transfers under §6(3) — and you wait — or you refile to the right PIO.
• “Information not held by this Public Authority.” Sometimes genuine, sometimes a brush-off. Ask the PIO under §6(3) which PA holds it, then refile there.

If the rejection is procedural (vague, fee missing, wrong PIO), the cheapest cure is a fresh RTI with the defect cured. Ten more rupees. Two weeks more. No appeal litigation.

If the rejection is substantive (PIO refused on §8 ground you disagree with, or PIO gave incomplete info, or no response in 30 days), file First Appeal within 30 days of the PIO's response (or the date it was due). The First Appellate Authority is an officer senior in rank to the PIO within the same PA — often the Director, Joint Secretary, or Registrar. Full how-to: File First Appeal under §19(1) — complete 2026 guide.

If the FAA also dismisses (or doesn't decide in 45 days), file Second Appeal to the Central Information Commission (cic.gov.in) for central PAs, or the State Information Commission for state PAs. Within 90 days of FAA decision. CIC/SIC has powers under §19(8) to direct disclosure and impose penalty under §20 — up to ₹25,000 on the PIO personally (₹250 per day). Full how-to: File Second Appeal to CIC / SIC — complete 2026 guide.

If the PIO denied information malafide or with wilful obstruction, the CIC/SIC can initiate §20 penalty proceedings on its own motion or on the appellant's prayer. Express the prayer in your Second Appeal: “I pray that this Hon'ble Commission may impose penalty under §20 of the RTI Act on the PIO for malafide refusal.”

Rare. Used when the Information Commission's order is itself perverse or shows malafide. Filed at the High Court. The Bhagat Singh v. CIC case itself was a writ — Delhi HC reversed an erroneous CIC order denying CBI material to a citizen.

Q. Can I ask for personal information about another person under RTI?
Generally no — §8(1)(j) protects personal information unless it serves larger public interest. But the Supreme Court in CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011) 8 SCC 497 allowed disclosure of one's own answer scripts (not really “third-party”). For service records of individual govt servants, Girish Ramchandra Deshpande (2013) 1 SCC 212 has narrowed the scope significantly.

Q. Can I file RTI as a minor / NRI / foreigner?
Minors — yes, through a guardian co-signing. NRIs holding Indian citizenship — yes (RTI is a citizenship right under §3). Foreigners and OCI cardholders — generally no, though some PAs accept; the legal position is unsettled.

Q. The PIO says “the file is misplaced”. What now?
A “misplaced file” is itself appealable. Quote the CIC's order in CIC/AT/A/2008/00112 and similar — the PIO must reconstruct from records or the FAA can direct an inquiry. File First Appeal.

Q. Can I withdraw my RTI?
There is no statutory provision for withdrawal. Once filed, the PIO's 30-day clock runs. If you no longer need the info, simply don't pursue First Appeal — the matter dies.

Q. Can RTI be used for academic research / journalism?
Yes. The Act doesn't restrict purpose. The Supreme Court in CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011) 8 SCC 497 specifically held that the requester's motive is irrelevant — what matters is whether the information is “held”.

Q. What if my RTI is on a matter that's also pending in court?
Sub-judice is not a bar to RTI per se. §8(1)(b) only bars information whose disclosure would be in contempt of court — narrow ground. The Supreme Court in R.K. Jain v. Union of India (2013) 14 SCC 794 clarified §8(1)(j) and personal information limits in the context of pending matters.

Q. Can the PIO ask me to identify myself with photo ID?
The central RTI Rules don't require photo ID at filing. Some state rules do (e.g., for inspection visits). Don't refuse outright — submit a self-attested Aadhaar / voter ID copy if asked. But PIOs cannot demand notarised IDs.

Q. How long should an RTI application be?
The central RTI Rules cap it at 500 words, excluding annexures and address block. Most effective RTIs are 1-2 pages. If you need to enclose 30 pages of background, do so as annexures; keep the application itself crisp.

Q. The PIO has asked me to deposit ₹3,800 as copying charge for 1,900 pages. Is that legal?
The rate is correct (₹2/page central) but the volume is suspect. You may have asked for too broad a set. Re-scope your RTI or ask for inspection first (free first hour) — once you see the file, you can ask for certified copies of only the relevant pages.

• How to file First Appeal under §19(1) — complete 2026 guide
• How to file Second Appeal to CIC / SIC — complete 2026 guide
• How to claim RTI fee waiver as BPL cardholder — complete 2026 guide
• RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers
• All Indian government helplines — one master directory
• RTI forms + state-wise fee chart

Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. RTI procedural law evolves with each Information Commission order; verify current FAA / SIC addresses on the Public Authority's website or write to admin@bighelpers.in if you spot a stale citation.