Table of Contents
File RTI in Bihar — 2026 guide
Bihar accepts RTI at Central (rtionline.gov.in, Rs 10), State (Bihar RTI portal / in person, Rs 10), and local-body (municipal corp, panchayat, Rs 10) levels. Hindi is the primary accepted language; English also works under §4(3). Bihar also has the Lok Shikayat Nivaran Adhikar Adhiniyam 2015 — a grievance-redressal law distinct from RTI. The Bihar State Information Commission sits at Patna. Practical response times 30-45 days for State matters.
Where to file
| Department | Where | Fee |
| Central Government | rtionline.gov.in | Rs 10 |
| Bihar State Government (Revenue, Home, Health, Education, RD, PHED) | Department RTI Cell / Bihar RTI portal | Rs 10 |
| Patna Municipal Corporation | PMC RTI Cell | Rs 10 |
| District / Block / Panchayat | DM's office / BDO / Panchayat Sachiv | Rs 10 |
| Bihar Police | District SP / Patna DGP office | Rs 10 |
Bihar State Information Commission
- Address: Bihar State Information Commission, Vishweshwaraiah Bhawan, Patna-800015
- Website: https://bic.bih.nic.in
- Second Appeal: within 90 days of FAA decision
Bihar-specific points
- Hindi filing: §4(3) read with Bihar Official Language Act — Hindi is fully accepted without applicant-side translation.
- Revenue records (Jamabandi, Khatian): Bihar Bhumi portal (https://lrc.bih.nic.in) publishes many records proactively under §4. Check first — saves a 30-day RTI.
- Lok Shikayat Nivaran Adhikar Adhiniyam 2015: Bihar's grievance law distinct from RTI. A citizen's complaint must be disposed in 60 working days; escalation to DPO → SPO → CPO. Use this for service-delivery grievances; RTI is for information.
- Jan Soochna Kendra: some departments maintain info centres at block-level for walk-in RTI filing assistance.
Templates
Template 1 — Jamabandi / Khatian records
Kindly provide the following information under the RTI Act, 2005: 1. Copy of the Jamabandi for Khata No. [KH No.], Khasra [KS No.], Mauja [village], Halka [halka], Circle [circle], District [dist]. 2. Copies of all mutation orders affecting the said khata from [start] to [end]. 3. Current Khatian status. 4. Copy of the CO / DCLR order if any.
Template 2 — MGNREGS / village-level scheme
Kindly provide the following information under the RTI Act, 2005: 1. Job-card register of [Panchayat], [Block], [District] for the FY [year]. 2. Muster rolls for works undertaken in [quarter/period]. 3. Wage payment records — amount, date, mode. 4. Physical and financial completion certificates for works.
Template 3 — Scheme beneficiary (PMJDY, PMAY, Ujjwala)
Kindly provide the following information under the RTI Act, 2005: 1. Beneficiary list for [PMJDY / PMAY / Ujjwala / PM-KISAN] scheme in [Panchayat or block], [District] for FY [year]. 2. Criteria applied for selection. 3. Total released, balance, and pending applications. 4. Copy of any exclusion / rejection order affecting [specific applicant name, if seeking own record].
Notable Bihar-region rulings
- Bihar PSC v. Rizwi — interview panel identity vs marks
When an RTI fails
- First Appeal to FAA within 30 days.
- Second Appeal to Bihar SIC, Patna, within 90 days.
- Writ to Patna HC under Article 226.
FAQs
Q1: Can I file RTI in Hindi in Bihar? Yes. Hindi is primary State language; §4(3) permits.
Q2: Is there a Bihar RTI online portal? A state-wide unified portal exists; specific departments may also have their own forms. Paper filing remains always valid.
Q3: What's the average reply time in Bihar? 30-45 days for State matters; 40-55 for Home and municipal corporations.
Q4: Where is Bihar SIC? Vishweshwaraiah Bhawan, Patna. Website: bic.bih.nic.in.
Q5: What's the difference between RTI and Lok Shikayat? RTI = information access. Lok Shikayat = grievance redressal with 60-working-day response. Different laws, different remedies.
Notable RTI rulings from Bihar (from the case-law corpus)
- Jan Dhan account opening records — Bihar SIC — PMJDY aggregate stats: §4 disclosure; individual account data: §8(1)(j) protected.
Browse the full case-law database — 362 curated rulings and filter by court / section / keyword.
Related
External
- Bihar SIC: https://bic.bih.nic.in
- Bihar Government: https://state.bihar.gov.in
- Bihar Bhumi: https://lrc.bih.nic.in
Last reviewed: 22 April 2026.

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