How can RTI help you?

How RTI can help you?
1. What is RTI?
Right to Information Act has been enacted by the Govt of India in the year 2005 to help the citizens for getting timely information from the Public Authorities.
2. What information can you get under RTI?
Information includes records, documents, memos, e-mails, circulars, orders, contracts, reports, notifications etc. It also includes information relating to any private body which can be accessed by the public authority. Applicants has right to seek such information from a public authority which is held by the public authority or which is held under its control.
It can help citizens in the day to day areas like; Income Tax, Provident Fund, Land records, Building plans, Municipal services, Electricity, RTO, Govt projects, etc.
3. Who are public authorities?
A “public authority” is any authority or body or institution owned, controlled
or substantially financed by the Central Government or a State Government and
NGOs substantially financed by the Central Government or a State Government.
4. Who will provide information under RTI?
Public Information Officers (PIO)/Asst Public information officers are indentified and designated by the Public Authorities. They are responsible to give information to a person who seeks information under the RTI Act.
5. How to apply?
There is no specific format to seek information under the RTI Act. However a format has been appended below for your reference.
6. Time period for providing information:
In normal course, information to an applicant shall be supplied within 30 days from the receipt of application by the public authority. If information sought concerns the life or liberty of a person, it shall be supplied within 48 hours.
7. Third party information
Third party in relation to the Act means a person other than the citizen who
has made request for information. The exempted third party information includes information on commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party.
8. Fee
In case of Government of India, the prescribed application fee is Rs. 10/- which can be paid through a demand draft or a banker’s cheque or an Indian Postal Order payable to the Accounts Officer of the public authority. The payment of fee can also be made by way of cash to the Accounts Officer of the public authority against proper receipt.
9. Appeal
An applicant can file an appeal to the first appellate authority if information is not supplied to him within the prescribed time of thirty days or 48 hours, as the case may be, or is not satisfied with the information furnished to him. Such an appeal should be filed within a period of thirty days from the date on which the limit of 30 days of supply of information is expired or from the date on which the information or decision of the Public Information Officer is received. The appellate authority of the public authority shall dispose of the appeal within a period of thirty days.
10. Complaint
A person can make a complaint to the Information Commission if he is unable to submit a request to a Public Information Officer or he has been refused access to any information; or he has not been given a response to a request for information within the time limit specified in the Act; or he believes that he has been given incomplete, misleading or false information.
Application for seeking Information under RTI Act 2005

To
The Public Information Officer
………………………………… Organisation,
Address: …………………………………………
………………………………………………………

Applicant’s Name

Applicant’s Address

Applicant’s Email
Applicant’s phone

Particulars of Information Sought

a. Subject matter of information
b. Period to which the information relates

c. Specific details of information required

I do hereby declare that I am a citizen of India.

Application fee(DD/BC/Postal order):Attached

Date: Name:
Place: Signature