Request for obtaining information under RTI Act, 2005

Under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) in India, any citizen has the right to request information from a public authority. This right is fundamental to promoting transparency and accountability in the functioning of the government.

How to Make a Request:

1. Application Submission:

A person who desires to obtain any information under the RTI Act should submit an application to the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) or State Public Information Officer (SPIO) of the concerned public authority. The application can be made in writing or through electronic means in English or Hindi or in the official language of the area, accompanied by the prescribed fee.

2. Contents of the Application:

The application should contain the particulars of the information sought. The applicant is not required to provide reasons for requesting the information or any other personal details except those that may be necessary for contacting him/her.

3. Assistance for Making Requests:

If an applicant has difficulty in making a request in writing, the public authority is expected to provide assistance to the person to reduce the request in writing.

4. Payment of Fees:

A request for obtaining information under sub-section (1) shall be accompanied by an application fee as may be prescribed (the amount varies from state to state and for the central government). Further, if the public authority decides that further fees are required to provide the information, the applicant must be informed of the additional fees needed to meet the request.

5. Disposal of Requests:

The CPIO or SPIO is expected to either provide the information on payment of such fee as may be prescribed or reject the request for any of the reasons specified in Sections 8 and 9 of the RTI Act.

6. Time Limit:

Information must be provided within thirty days of the receipt of the request. If the information sought concerns the life or liberty of a person, it should be provided within forty-eight hours of the receipt of the request.

7. Transfer of Requests:

If the application is made to a public authority which does not have the information, the CPIO or SPIO should transfer the request to the appropriate public authority (if it is practicable to determine) within five days of receiving the request and inform the applicant immediately.

8. Rejection of Request:

If a request is rejected, the CPIO or SPIO must communicate the reason(s) for such rejection, the period within which an appeal against such rejection may be preferred, and the particulars of the appellate authority.

9. No Fee for Certain Cases:

Persons who are below the poverty line are exempted from the obligation of paying fees provided they submit a proof stating that they belong to the below poverty line category.

Appeal:

• If an individual is not satisfied with the response received or does not receive a response within the prescribed time, they can file an appeal to a higher officer within the public authority, known as the first appellate authority.
• A second appeal can be filed with the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission if the appellant is still not satisfied with the first appeal’s outcome.