Legal Services  ·  RTI Filing & Appeals

RTI Filing & Appeals
Ask the Right Question
And Enforce the Answer

The Right to Information is a powerful tool, but a vague application gets a vague reply. LegalRaahi drafts precise RTI requests, tracks the thirty-day timeline, and files first and second appeals when the public authority delays or denies information.

Precise Application Drafting
30-Day Response Tracking
First and Second Appeal
CIC and SIC Representation
900
RTI Matters Handled
0
Days Response Period
15
Years of Experience
28+
States Served
Home / Legal Services / Legal Services / RTI Filing & Appeals
How RTI Works

The Right to Information
A Specific Question, a Statutory Answer

Legal Framework

"A person, who desires to obtain any information under this Act, shall make a request in writing or through electronic means in English or Hindi or in the official language of the area in which the application is being made, accompanying such fee as may be prescribed, to the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer ... of the concerned public authority ..." — Section 6(1), Right to Information Act, 2005

The RTI Act gives every citizen the right to seek information from a public authority. The request must be specific, addressed to the correct Public Information Officer, and accompanied by the prescribed fee. You do not have to give a reason for seeking the information.

The authority must respond within thirty days, or within forty-eight hours where the information concerns the life or liberty of a person. If the reply is delayed, incomplete, or refused without a valid exemption, the first appeal lies to the appellate authority within the department.

If the first appeal fails, the second appeal goes to the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission. The Commission can order disclosure, impose a penalty on the officer, and award compensation in appropriate cases.

RTI Act, 2005
The Right and the Procedure

Sets out the application, response timeline, exemptions, first appeal, and second appeal.

Section 6 applicationSection 7 responseSection 19 appeals
CIC / SIC
The Final Appellate Forum

Hears second appeals and complaints, and can order disclosure and penalise delay.

Second appealPenalty up to ₹25,000Compliance orders

RTI Timelines You Must Track

A missed deadline is itself a ground for appeal.

StageAuthorityTimeline
ApplicationPublic Information Officer30 days; 48 hours for life or liberty
First appealFirst Appellate AuthorityWithin 30 days of the reply or deadline
Second appealCIC or SICWithin 90 days of the first appeal decision
PenaltyInformation Commission₹250 per day, up to ₹25,000
ComplaintInformation CommissionFor refusal, delay, or unreasonable fee
Why Draft Carefully

Why RTI Requests
Fail on Wording

Precise Drafting

A request for all files invites a refusal. We frame specific questions with dates, file numbers, and periods.

Timeline Tracking

We calendar the 30-day response, the first appeal, and the 90-day second appeal so no right is lost.

Appeal Strategy

A first appeal is not a repetition. We address the exemption claimed and the public interest in disclosure.

Commission Representation

We appear before the CIC or SIC, present the record, and press for disclosure and penalty.

Exemption Advice

Where information is genuinely exempt, we tell you early and reframe the request instead of wasting a filing.

Confidentiality

We keep the identity and purpose of the request confidential to the extent the law allows.

Our Process

How We Handle Your
RTI Request

A precise request, a tracked timeline, and an appeal that addresses the actual refusal.

1
Step 1  ·  Identify the Authority and the Record
Who Holds the Information?

We identify the correct public authority and PIO, and confirm the exact records, dates, and file numbers to ask for.

Within 48 hours
2
Step 2  ·  Draft and File
A Specific, Lawful Request

We draft the application with precise questions, pay the fee, and file online or by post with proof of submission.

1–3 days
3
Step 3  ·  Track the Response
30 Days and Counting

We monitor the response period and review the reply for completeness, exemption claims, and transfer to another authority.

30 days
4
Step 4  ·  First Appeal
Challenge Delay or Denial

If the reply is late, incomplete, or refused, we file the first appeal with the appellate authority within 30 days.

Within 30 days
5
Step 5  ·  Second Appeal
CIC or SIC

We file the second appeal within 90 days, appear before the Commission, and pursue disclosure, penalty, and compensation.

Final stage
Checklist

Documents We Need
to File and Appeal

The more precise the background, the stronger the request and the appeal.

For the Application
Identity Proof
Aadhaar, PAN, or passport
Address Proof
For postal service of the reply
Subject Details
File numbers, dates, office, and scheme
Your Specific Questions
What exactly you need, in numbered form
Fee Payment
IPO, demand draft, or online receipt
Earlier Correspondence
Any prior request or reply
For an Appeal
RTI Application
Copy with date and receipt
Reply or Refusal
The order or letter challenged
First Appeal
With the appellate authority’s order
Public Interest Note
Why disclosure matters, if relevant

Important: Never ask for all information or all files. Specific, dated requests are harder to refuse and easier for the Commission to order.

Why Choose Us

Why LegalRaahi for
RTI Matters?

Our Commitment

The Right Question
Gets the Right Answer

01
Drafting Precision

We convert a broad grievance into numbered, dated, file-specific questions.

02
Deadline Discipline

Every response, appeal, and Commission date is calendared and tracked.

03
Appeal Experience

We address the exemption claimed instead of repeating the original request.

04
Commission Appearance

We appear before the CIC and SIC and press for disclosure and penalty.

05
Honest Advice

If the record is exempt, we say so and suggest a lawful alternative.

900+
RTI Applications and Appeals Handled
4.9★
Client Rating for RTI Services
Our Promise
  • Free request assessment
  • Precise drafting
  • Timeline tracking
  • Transparent fee estimate
Client Stories

Information Secured,
Accountability Enforced

RTI Reply · Received
★★★★★

"My earlier applications were rejected as vague. LegalRaahi reframed the request with file numbers and dates, and the information came within a month."

SK
Sunil K.
Municipal records · Delhi
First Appeal · Ordered
★★★★★

"The PIO claimed an exemption that did not apply. The first appeal was drafted around the exact clause, and the appellate authority ordered disclosure."

MP
Manisha P.
Government service records · Pune
Second Appeal · CIC
★★★★★

"The department ignored two requests. The Commission not only ordered the information but also imposed a penalty on the officer."

AV
Ajay V.
Public works · Lucknow
RTI for a Cause · Disclosed
★★★★★

"We needed data for a public health campaign. The team handled the request and the appeal without any drama, and the data was released."

NR
Neha R.
Public health · Bengaluru
FAQs

RTI
Questions

Who can file an RTI application?+
Any citizen of India can file an RTI application. You do not need to be a lawyer, and you do not need to give a reason for seeking the information.
What is the fee for an RTI application?+
The fee is prescribed by the rules and is usually ₹10 for a central public authority. State fees vary. Below-poverty-line applicants are generally exempt. Additional copying charges may apply.
What if the public authority does not reply?+
Non-response within 30 days is a deemed refusal. You can file a first appeal, and then a second appeal before the Information Commission.
Can I get information about another person?+
Personal information is exempt unless the public interest in disclosure outweighs the privacy harm. The Commission decides on the facts. We advise on framing the request lawfully.
Is the Information Commission like a court?+
It is a quasi-judicial body. It can summon the PIO, order disclosure, and impose penalties, but it does not award general damages like a civil court.
Is there a penalty for delay by the PIO?+
Yes. The Commission can impose a penalty of ₹250 per day, up to ₹25,000, for delay without reasonable cause, and can recommend disciplinary action.
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