Table of Contents
File RTI in Uttar Pradesh — 2026 guide
Uttar Pradesh accepts RTI at Central (rtionline.gov.in, Rs 10), State (in person / Jansunwai portal, Rs 10), and local-body (Nagar Nigam, Zila Panchayat, Rs 10) levels. Hindi is the primary accepted language; English also works under §4(3). The Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission sits in Indira Bhawan, Lucknow. UP is India's largest state and has high RTI volumes — practical response times 35-50 days.
Where to file
| Department | Where / portal | Fee |
| Central Government | rtionline.gov.in | Rs 10 |
| UP State Government (Revenue, Home, Education, Health, Urban Development) | Department RTI Cell / Jansunwai for some | Rs 10 |
| Nagar Nigam (Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Varanasi, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Allahabad, Noida) | Nigam RTI Cell at head office | Rs 10 |
| Zila Panchayat / Block / Gram Panchayat | District Panchayati Raj / Block BDO | Rs 10 |
| UP Police | District SP / Commissionerate | Rs 10 |
| Revenue (Tehsil-level) | Tehsildar office | Rs 10 |
Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission
- Address: Indira Bhawan, Ashok Marg, Hazratganj, Lucknow-226001
- Website: https://upsic.up.nic.in (Hindi / English)
- Second Appeal: within 90 days of FAA decision
Key UP-specific points
- Hindi filing: primary State language under §4(3); most RTIs in UP are filed in Hindi.
- Jansunwai portal (https://jansunwai.up.nic.in): technically a grievance portal, but some RTIs route through it. Not a replacement for §6 application filing — use the department RTI route for a formal RTI.
- Revenue records (land): Tehsil-level filing; Khatauni, Khasra, Mutation (Varasat) records accessible under §4(1)(b).
- UP Nigam corporations are numerous — 17 municipal corporations; each has its own RTI Cell.
- Large volume: UP processes the largest absolute number of RTIs of any state. Expect 35-50 days for routine matters; 60+ for Home / Police.
Templates
Template 1 — Land records (Tehsil)
Kindly provide the following information under the RTI Act, 2005: 1. Copy of the Khatauni (land-holder register) for Khata No. [KH No.], Village [village], Tehsil [tehsil], District [district] for the fasli year [year]. 2. Copies of all Mutation (Varasat) orders affecting the said khata from [start date] to [end date]. 3. Current Khasra / field register entries for the plots under the said khata. 4. Status of any pending application / dispute.
Template 2 — Nagar Nigam property tax / mutation
Kindly provide the following information under the RTI Act, 2005: 1. Copy of the property-tax assessment for House No. [house no.], Ward [ward no.], [Nagar Nigam name] for the years [range]. 2. Copy of any mutation / ownership-transfer application and resulting approval / rejection. 3. Current tax dues and payment history. 4. Copies of notices served.
Template 3 — Government school / teacher information
Kindly provide the following information under the RTI Act, 2005: 1. Sanctioned teacher strength at [School name], [Block], [District] for current session. 2. Actual teacher attendance records for [month]. 3. Details of MDM scheme disbursal for [month] — student count, food-grain lifted, money released. 4. Copy of the annual school budget.
Common rejection reasons — and the counter
- “Records with Tehsildar/SDM” — §6(3) transfer; demand transfer letter.
- “Use Jansunwai instead” — Jansunwai is a grievance tool, not an RTI substitute. §6 filing is your right.
- “Hindi not acceptable” — this is wrong; §4(3) mandates local-language acceptance.
- “Records older than 5 years” — no such statutory exemption exists. §8(3) 20-year sunset applies; pre-20-year records still subject to §8(1)(a), ©, (i).
Notable UP-region rulings
- State of UP v. Raj Narain (1975) — foundational right-to-know
- PDS records (neighbouring Jharkhand) — applicable guidance for UP PDS
When an RTI fails
- First Appeal to FAA within 30 days.
- Second Appeal to UP SIC, Lucknow, within 90 days.
- Writ to Allahabad HC (main bench; Lucknow Bench for Awadh region) under Article 226.
FAQs
Q1: Can I file RTI in Hindi? Yes. Hindi is the primary State language; §4(3) permits local-language filing in any case.
Q2: Is Jansunwai the RTI portal? No. Jansunwai is UP's grievance redressal portal; different from RTI. Use §6 filing at the department for a formal RTI.
Q3: How long does UP take to reply? 35-50 days for routine State matters; 60+ for Home/Police; 40-55 for municipal corporations.
Q4: Where is UPSIC? Indira Bhawan, Hazratganj, Lucknow. Website: upsic.up.nic.in.
Q5: Which court hears UP RTI writs? Allahabad HC (main bench at Prayagraj; Lucknow Bench for Awadh region).
Notable RTI rulings from Uttar Pradesh (from the case-law corpus)
- Basic Shiksha Parishad — teacher records — Allahabad HC — Basic Shiksha Parishad teacher records (aggregate): §4(1)(b); individual service file: §8(1)(j) against third parties.
- UP Basic Shiksha recruitment dispute records — UP SIC — UP Basic Shiksha recruitment dispute records fully accessible to applicant under RTI.
- Land records & mutation — Allahabad HC — Land records and mutation entries are §4 suo-motu category; must be routinely accessible.
Browse the full case-law database — 362 curated rulings and filter by court / section / keyword.
Related
External
- UP SIC: https://upsic.up.nic.in
- Jansunwai (grievance): https://jansunwai.up.nic.in
- UP Government: https://up.gov.in
Last reviewed: 22 April 2026.

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