This article is written by Team LawSikho. 

Filing your RTI Application

You can file your RTI application by any of three methods

• Physical Delivery

You can submit your application to the ‘TAPAL” also called an Inward/Outward section of the respective department. Make sure that you collect a signed and dated copy of your RTI Application. This enables you to keep a track on your application at a later stage.

Important: When the applicants visit the office of the public department physically, they often face hardships in finding the officers to whom their application can be given and their applications are often not accepted. Of course, in such cases, one can file an appeal against the arbitrary rejection of the application but it is always advisable to post your application or submit it online. This not only saves your time and effort but also ensures that your application gets through the correct department without much hassle.

• By post

You can send your RTI application by post to the PIO of the relevant department by any of the two modes:

• Registered Post AD: The AD card will act as proof of submission after it is returned to you by the postal department. In case the AD card does not come back with a proper stamp, signature, and date of receipt, follow up with the dispatching post office to get the AD card completed. Always keep a print out of the final delivery status with you.
• Speed Post (A postal department service): Once the application is sent by Speed Post, track it and keep a print out of the delivery status carefully with you.

Note

Do not use ordinary post, private courier companies, etc. since these will not provide you with a confirmed proof of delivery. 

• Online

You can also file your RTI applications to the Central Ministries/Departments and other Central Public Authorities mentioned in ONLINE RTI request form through the RTI Online Portal by simply clicking on  https://rtionline.gov.in/ . The word limit for filing applications online through this portal is 3000 words. However, for further reference, you can click here to read the user manual.

Note

If possible also send an email of RTI Application to PIO’s official email ID displayed in the website on the same date. The clock starts ticking from the moment the email is sent (not opened). It isn’t a valid application until it is accompanied by the proper fee. That’s the whole trouble with online applications. The Fees (Rs.10) along with RTI Application can be sent by post subsequently, but the time limit starts from the day the email is sent/received

How can NRIs File RTI Application Abroad?

Earlier Indians living abroad had a difficult time paying the fee of Rs. 10  required with each RTI application as it was difficult to purchase Indian Postal Orders (IPO) or even a demand draft in rupees. However, now the Department of Posts and Telegraph has launched the online system, which allows Indians living abroad to directly purchase Electronic-Indian Postal Orders (E-IPO) on the Internet. You can do so by simply logging onto the Department of Posts Web site https://www.indiapost.gov.in/ and clicking on the ePost Office link, RTI applicants abroad can use their credit or debit cards to purchase an E-IPO. The site will generate a unique E-IPO number after each purchase, which the applicants can take a print out of and quote in their RTI application.

Postal Orders are required as payment accompanying each RTI query.

If you are filing your RTI application to any of the central government departments, walk straight to the designated Post Office where the CAPIO is duty bound to not only accept but also help you out in filing the application

The Department of Post provides for the appointment of Central Assistant Public Information Officer (CAPIO) for assisting the applicants in filing RTI Applications with the Central Government, Ministries, etc. This cannot be used for submitting RTI Applications addressed to State Authorities, Legislatures, Courts, etc.

Now, each post office does not provide the facility for filing RTI applications. There are around 4,707 CAPIO designated at each Tehsil level across the country and you need to ask the post office headquarters of your village/ town/ city to find out in which branch has been designated under the RTI Act.

Once you have identified the branch office, submit your application to the CAPIO along with the fee of Rupees 10 which you can pay by cash/Demand Draft/Indian Postal Order.  So, what does the CAPIO of the post office do after he accepts your request? He generates three copies of the forwarding letter. The first copy is addressed to the Nodal Officer/ PIO of the concerned Central Public Authority, second is meant for the applicant/ appellant as intimation and the third is kept as an office copy by the Postal department. The onward transmission of the request/ appeal is done through registered post. It is wiser to carry two copies of your RTI application yourself, besides your original one so that you can get the acknowledgment immediately.

Remember, that being a CAPIO, he is given five days to submit the RTI application to the PIO that you have to address. Over and above the Rs10 fee, for additional Re1, the CAPIO also sends your request online, there and then. Also, bear in mind that CAPIO is instructed by the Department of Post not only to help you in filing the RTI application but to also check that your RTI application is written correctly and help you in finding the public authority if you so require.

What Should I do if the PIO refuses to accept my application?

If the PIO refuses to take physical delivery of your RTI application, you should send it by post and keep the acknowledgment receipt with you. The PIO cannot refuse to accept your application even if the information is not related to his department. It is the duty of the PIO to accept the application and transfer it to the right PIO within 5 days as per section 6(2). You can also make a formal complaint to the Information Commission under Section 18 who has the power to impose the penalty on the defaulting officer up to Rs. 25,000. See a format for transfer of application that is used by public authorities here