RTI Application Format: How to Draft and File a Right to Information Request
Use this updated RTI application format to seek identifiable records and information from a public authority. The guide explains the Central Government fee, BPL exemption, statutory time limits, online filing and a clean sample draft.
What an RTI Application Must Contain
Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 permits a request to be made in writing or electronically in English, Hindi or the official language of the area where the application is made. The request should specify the particulars of the information sought and be sent to the appropriate Central or State Public Information Officer, or the relevant Assistant Public Information Officer.
An applicant is not required to give reasons for seeking the information. Only such personal details as are necessary for contacting the applicant may be required. If the application reaches a public authority but the requested information is held by, or is more closely connected with, another public authority, Section 6(3) provides for transfer as soon as practicable and not later than five days.
Updated Sample RTI Application Format
No single universal statutory "Form A" is prescribed by the Central RTI Rules, 2012 for an ordinary Central Government RTI request. A clear written application containing the necessary particulars is sufficient, subject to any applicable rules of the concerned competent authority. The following is a practical general format.
APPLICATION UNDER SECTION 6(1) OF THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005
To
The Central Public Information Officer / State Public Information Officer
[Name of Public Authority]
[Official Address]
Subject: Request for information under Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005
Sir/Madam,
Kindly provide the following information/records under the Right to Information Act, 2005:
1. [Clearly describe the first document, record or item of information required.]
2. [Clearly describe the second document, record or item of information required.]
3. [Specify the relevant period/date range, file number, office, subject or other identifying details, where available.]
Form in which information is requested: [Certified photocopies / electronic copy / inspection of records / other appropriate form].
Application fee: The prescribed application fee is being paid by [online payment / Indian Postal Order / demand draft / banker's cheque / cash against receipt, as applicable].
BPL applicant, if applicable: I am a person below the poverty line and enclose the certificate issued by the appropriate Government in support of fee exemption.
Kindly send the information to the address/email stated below. If any additional fee is payable, please intimate the amount and calculation in accordance with the Act and applicable rules.
Name: ______________________________
Postal address: _____________________
Email / mobile (optional, where not required for portal communication): _____________________
Place: __________________ Date: __________________
Signature of applicant: ______________________________
How to File an RTI Application
- Identify the correct public authority. Determine which authority holds or controls the record you need. Check its official website for the CPIO/SPIO and RTI section.
- Frame precise questions for records. Use numbered requests and identify the subject, period, office, file number or document where possible.
- Choose the filing method. For eligible Central Government public authorities, you may use the official RTI Online portal. Otherwise, follow the concerned authority's official RTI procedure for post, personal delivery or its authorised State portal.
- Pay the applicable fee. Under the Central RTI Rules, 2012, the application fee is ₹10. State rules may prescribe different payment methods or fees.
- Keep proof of filing. Retain the online registration number, postal receipt, acknowledgement and fee-payment proof.
Central Government RTI Fees Under the RTI Rules, 2012
| Item | Central RTI Rules, 2012 |
|---|---|
| Application fee | ₹10 |
| A3 or smaller paper copy | ₹2 per page |
| Larger-size copy | Actual cost or price |
| Samples or models | Actual cost or price |
| Diskette or floppy | ₹50 per diskette/floppy |
| Inspection of records | No fee for the first hour; ₹5 for each subsequent hour or fraction thereof |
| Postal charge | Postal charge involved in supply of information that exceeds ₹50 |
| Below Poverty Line applicant | No fee under Rules 3 and 4, subject to submission of the prescribed BPL certificate |
Under the Central Rules, fee may be paid in cash against proper receipt; by demand draft, banker's cheque or Indian Postal Order payable to the Accounts Officer of the public authority; or electronically where the public authority provides that facility. For online Central RTI filing, the official portal currently supports its notified online payment methods.
The Central Rules also state that an application should ordinarily not exceed 500 words, excluding annexures, but an application cannot be rejected merely because it exceeds that length.
RTI Response Time and First Appeal
Under Section 7(1), the PIO should ordinarily provide the information or issue a lawful rejection as expeditiously as possible and in any event within 30 days of receipt. Where the information sought concerns the life or liberty of a person, it must be provided within 48 hours.
If no decision is received within the statutory period, or if the applicant is aggrieved by the PIO's decision, a first appeal may be filed under Section 19(1) to the designated First Appellate Authority. For applications filed through the Central RTI Online portal, the portal also provides an online first-appeal facility and states that no fee is payable for a first appeal under the RTI Act.
Official RTI Resources
Before You Submit
Verify the current RTI officer, address, fee method and State-specific rules on the concerned public authority's official website. The Central RTI Rules, 2012 apply to the Central framework; competent authorities and States may have their own procedural rules within the Act.
This page is a general legal-information guide and sample drafting aid. It is not a substitute for checking the current official rules and instructions applicable to the specific public authority.