The Right to Information ( RTI ) Act was passed in 2005 and gives an Indian citizen the right to request information of the government, which has led to the opening up of the government and its officials. In India, India Top 10 Stories RTI can be easily filed either through the National Government Services Portal online or by providing a written request offline. It is only necessary to provide personal information, a clear explanation of the information required, and nominal fee of 10 INR (free of charge under the poverty line). After submission, the applicant is issued with registration number through which the applicant can trace its request and the concerned authority should respond in 30 days.
Filing RTI Online
In order to submit an RTI online, go to RTI Online Portal.
- Request submittal – Click on the Submit Request button and select the ministry or department in question.
- Enter Details – Enter your contact information, name and address.
- Write the Request – The specific information required must be clearly stated. Do not use such questions as why or how which are vague or subjective. In case the query has more than 3000 characters, attach a supporting document.
- Pay the Fee – Pay 10 using debit/credit card, UPI or net banking. BPL card can be uploaded to waive the fee by the applicants who are below the poverty line.
- Monitor the Application – Once the application is submitted, an SMS and email will be received containing a registration number which may be used to track the application.
Filing RTI Offline
- Application – Type plain paper (in handwritten form) in English, Hindi or the official language of the region.
- Attach Fee – Include 10 bucks by way of Indian Postal Order, demand draft, bankers cheque or cash (when handing to the post).
- Application Submission- Forward your application to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the corresponding government department either through a mailed application or personally.
Important Guidelines
- Response Time: The PIO should answer in 30 days.
- BPL Applicants: Citizens who are less than the poverty line are not charged when they are in possession of a valid BPL card.
- Cases of Urgency: In case of life or liberty, the information should be presented within 48 hours without charging a fee.
- Appeals: In case there is no reply or the reply is not satisfactory the applicants may launch a first appeal on-line via the same portal.
