RIGHT TO INFORMATION (RTI)
AWARENESS WORKSHOP
APCR Karnataka Chapter
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
AGENDA
The People You should know for RTI
 How to Write an Application under RTI?
 First Appeal
 Second Appeal
 What all Information can be sought?
 Exempted Organisations
 Summary

Association for Protection of Civil Rights
THE PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW FOR RTI
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
FILING OF RTI APPLICATION
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
SIMPLE TIPS TO WRITE AN RTI APPLICATION
Application Under RTI Act 2005
<Your Address>
To,
P.I.O.,
<Office Name & Address>
<Here Mention the information sought>
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
From,
EXAMPLES OF INFORMATION SOUGHT
Details of police case
{To PIO, DG/IG Maharashtra Police}
For Person named Sadik Ahmed son of Riyaz Ahmed
residing at ………….please mention if any case is
lodged against him in any police station of Maharashtra.
If yes, please provide detail of the case.
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
Passport Not Received
{To PIO, Passport Office}
 What is the status of passport application No XXX?
 Please furnish the action taken each day after
submission of application.
FEES THRU POSTAL ORDER (CENTRAL GOVT)
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
FEES THRU COURT STAMP (MAHARASHTRA GOVT)
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
To be Stuck on the RTI Application
IDEAL PROCESS OF SEEKING INFORMATION
Speed/Reg Post with Ack
Replies in Maximum 30 days
PIO
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
You
RTI Appln + Rs. 10 Fee
PROCESS WHEN ADDITIONAL FEES ARE REQD
RTI Appln + Rs. 10 Fee
PIO asks for additional fees
Addional fees paid by you
Replies in Waiting period +
maximum 30 days
PIO
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
You
Speed/Reg Post with Ack
WHAT ARE THE FEES INVOLVED?
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
PROCESS WHEN SENT TO WRONG PIO
RTI Appln + Rs. 10 Fee
Informs you about
Forwarding
Wrong
PIO
Forwards in
Maximum 5 days
Replies in Maximum 30+5 days
Right
PIO
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
You
Speed/Reg Post with Ack
TIME LIMITS FOR DISPOSAL OF APPLICATIONS?
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
FIRST APPEAL
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
WHEN CAN YOU GO FOR FIRST APPEAL?
You have not received any reply from the PIO within
the specified time limit
 You are not satisfied with any of the PIO’s
response(s)
 You have been refused information by the PIO
 You have been given only partial information
 You have been provided incomplete information
 You have been charged unreasonable fee for
accessing information

Association for Protection of Civil Rights
Fees of Rs.20 should be paid for First Appeal
TIME LIMITS ON YOU FOR FILING FIRST APPEAL?
Within 30 days from the receipt of RTI response or
thirty days from the expiry of period of receiving
the RTI response
 FAA may accept your appeal after the above
mentioned 30 days if he / she is satisfied that you
were prevented by sufficient cause from filing the
appeal in time.

Association for Protection of Civil Rights
TIME LIMITS ON FAA TO REPOND TO APPEAL?
(In case of the latter), reasons have to be
recorded in writing by the FAA.
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
The first appeal shall be disposed of within 30
days of the receipt of the appeal
or
within such extended period not exceeding a total
of 45 days from the date of filing thereof,
SECOND APPEAL
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
TIME LIMITS ON YOU FOR FILING SECOND APPEAL?
A second appeal against the decision of an FAA
shall lie with CIC, within 90 days from the date on
which the decision should have been made or was
actually received,
 CIC may admit the appeal after the expiry of the
period of 90 days if it is satisfied that the appellant
was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the
appeal in time

Association for Protection of Civil Rights
WHAT ALL INFORMATION CAN BE ASKED?
• Opinions;
• Orders;
• Documents;
• Advices;
• Logbooks;
• Memos;
• Press releases; • Contracts;
• e-mails;
• Circulars;
• Reports;
• Papers;
• Samples;
• Models;
• Data material held in any electronic form; and
• Information relating to any private body which can
be accessed by a Public authority under any other
law for the time being in force.
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
• Records;
WAYS OF RECEIVING INFORMATION?
Obtaining information – stored in a computer or in
any other device – in the form of diskettes, floppies,
tapes, video cassettes or in any form electronic
mode or through print outs
 Inspection of work, documents or records
 taking notes, extracts or certified copies of
documents or records
 taking certified samples of material

Association for Protection of Civil Rights
EXEMPTED ORGANISATIONS (CENTRAL LIST)
12. Central Industrial Security
Force.
13. National Security Guards.
14. Assam Rifles.
15. Sashastra Seema Bal.
16. Directorate General of
Income-tax (Investigation).
17. National Technical
Research Organisation.
18. Financial Intelligence Unit,
India.
19. Special Protection Group.
20. Defence Research and
Development Organisation.
21. Border Road Development
Board.
22. National Security Council
Secretariat.
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
1. Intelligence Bureau.
2. Research and Analysis Wing
of the Cabinet Secretariat.
3. Directorate of Revenue
Intelligence.
4. Central Economic
Intelligence Bureau.
5. Directorate of Enforcement.
6. Narcotics Control Bureau.
7. Aviation Research Centre.
8. Special Frontier Force.
9. Border Security Force.
10. Central Reserve Police
Force.
11. Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
EXCEPTION TO EXEMPTED ORGANISATIONS
 Allegations
Information to be provided after approval of Central
Information Commission within 45 days of receipt
of request
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
of Corruptions
 Allegations of Human Rights violation
SUMMARY OF RTI
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
RTI is an Act to provide for setting out
the practical regime of right to information for citizens
to secure access to information under the control of
public authorities, in order to promote transparency
and accountability in the working of every public
authority,
the constitution of a Central Information Commission
and State Information Commissions and for matters
connected therewith or incidental thereto.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS UNDER RTI
Make a request to PIO or APIO.
 Choose medium of request.
 Choose language of request.
 Seek exemptions for fees.
 Seek help for writing request.
 Reason for request not required.
 Receive information, if request is transferred.
 Presumption of refusal and consequent right to
complaint / appeal.

Association for Protection of Civil Rights
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS UNDER RTI
Knowing costing details.
 Waiver of costs
 Reasons for rejection of request
 Know details to proceed with appeal
 Choose medium of response to be received, including
sample
 Partial access to records with reasons on limits to
access
 Complaints appeal against refusal / rejection of
request or unreasonable fee

Association for Protection of Civil Rights
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS UNDER RTI





Association for Protection of Civil Rights

Appeal / Second appeal
Request penalty / disciplinary action against PIO
Force burden of proof on PIO
Demand third party and private party information
Demand on-site inspection
Demand compensation
RESOURCES
www.rti.gov.in

www.cic.gov.in
Association for Protection of Civil Rights

www.apcrindia.org
Association for Protection of Civil Rights
THANK YOU