How to File RTI Offline and Online

How to file RTI both online and offline

Right to Information Act, 2005, is an improvisation of the Freedom to Information Act, 2002. It is a fundamental right. The purpose behind it is to enable every citizen (natural born persons) to obtain information under the control of the public authorities. It furnishes transparency and accountability in the working affairs of the government. To obey the act, the authority is required to disclose the information to the public, whenever asked for.

The only condition is that the person filing the petition should be an Indian Citizen.

For offline application

1. Figure out the department you want to file the RTI for.

2. Make a request in writing or through electronic means in Hindi or English or in the official language of the region where the application is being made, along with the prescribed fees. The Public Information Officer can be approached for assistance to write an application for you.

3. The application should be addressed to the concerned state or to the Central Public Officer.

4. The application should include your question in an unambiguous and elaborative manner along with your personal details like name, contact information and address.

5. People below the poverty line are exempted from paying the fees by showing supporting documents. Other people are supposed to pay ten rupees in order to complete the procedure.

6. Submit the application at the office via mail or in person. You will receive a receipt of an acknowledgement from the office. Preserve the receipt and a copy of the application.

It is compulsory for the Central Public Officer to provide information within 30 days of the receipt of the request, and in case the information sought for threatens the life and liberty a person, the deadline is 48 hours.

For online application

1. Log on to rtionline.gov.in and go to the submit request section.

2. Fill in all the necessary details that are asked in the form.

3. Type your request application in less than 3000 characters.

4. After submitting the application, pay the requisite fee through the online transaction mode available at the website.

5. At the completion of the procedure you will get a registration ID which must be secured for future reference.

It should be noted that online application can be made only for Central Government Departments and related ministries which includes PMO, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Secretariat of the President and the Vice President and Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariat.

Filing an RTI (Right to Information) request in India—whether offline or online—is a simple but powerful way to obtain information from any public authority under the RTI Act, 2005.

Here’s a complete, easy-to-follow guide for both offline and online RTI filing methods:

✅ WHAT IS RTI?

The Right to Information Act, 2005 allows any citizen of India to:

Request information from government departments and public sector bodies
Receive a response within 30 days