The Right to Information Act, 2005 is India's working accountability statute. It gives every citizen a legal right to ask the government for documents, files, contracts, lists and decisions — and gives the government 30 days to produce them for Rs 10. This page explains the Act in 40 plain-English questions, grouped into Basics, Filing, Exemptions, Appeals and DPDP 2025. No legal jargon. Each answer cites the relevant section so you can verify against the statutory text.

Q1. What is the RTI Act in one line?

A law that lets any Indian citizen demand records from any public authority for Rs 10 and get them in 30 days. (§3, §6, §7(1))

Q2. Who can file an RTI?

Any citizen of India. No age limit. No need to state reasons. No need to prove identity. (§3, §6(2))

Q3. Can a company or NGO file an RTI?

Not directly. Only citizens have §3 standing. But a citizen member of the body can file in their own name.

Q4. Can an NRI file an RTI?

Yes, if they are still an Indian citizen (i.e., hold an Indian passport). OCI card holders are NOT citizens and lack §3 standing.

Q5. What is a “public authority”?

Any body owned, controlled, or substantially financed by government, or constituted by a statute. Test from Thalappalam (Supreme Court 2013). (§2(h))

Q6. What information can I ask for?

Any record — file, document, email, noting, contract, tender, budget, expense, inspection report, logbook, sample, model, data in electronic form. (§2(f), §2(j))

Q7. What information can I NOT ask for?

Opinions, justifications, explanations, hypothetical answers. RTI gives you records, not reasons that have not been recorded.

Q8. What is the fee?

Rs 10 for Central Government; Rs 20 for most States; Rs 10-20 for municipal bodies. BPL applicants are fully exempt. (§7(5), Central RTI Rules 2012)

Q9. What is the timeline?

30 days from the PIO receiving the RTI. 48 hours if life or liberty is at stake. 45 days maximum if §11 third-party notice is involved. (§7(1))

Q10. What happens if nobody responds?

Silence beyond 30 days = “deemed refusal” under §7(2). You can file a First Appeal immediately, without waiting.

Q11. Do I need to use a specific form?

No. Plain paper or email works. The Central RTI Rules, 2012 have an optional form but no mandatory format. The request must just clearly identify the information and the applicant.

Q12. Can I file in a local language?

Yes — §4(3) and §6(1) explicitly allow filing in the official language of the State where the RTI is filed. Marathi in Maharashtra, Tamil in Tamil Nadu, Bengali in West Bengal — all are accepted without translation.

Q13. How do I pay?

Indian Postal Order, court fee stamp, or online UPI/card via rtionline.gov.in (Central) or State RTI portals.

Q14. Who is a PIO?

Public Information Officer — designated under §5(1) of the Act — the specific officer responsible for receiving and answering RTIs on behalf of a public authority. Each public authority must designate a PIO.

Q15. What if I don't know who the PIO is?

Address your application to “The Public Information Officer, [Department], [Address]”. The public authority is obligated to route it to the right PIO internally.

Q16. What if the PIO says the information is with another department?

The PIO must transfer the RTI under §6(3) within 5 days and notify you. The transferee becomes the new PIO; the 30-day clock restarts from their receipt.

Q17. Can I ask for information about private parties?

No, unless the private party is a “public authority” under §2(h) (substantially financed by government). For truly private entities, RTI does not apply.

Q18. Can I file multiple RTIs on the same topic?

Yes. The Act imposes no limit. But bulk identical RTIs to the same PIO can be rejected as “frivolous” or treated as one.

Q19. Is there a word limit on an RTI?

No statutory limit. Many State rules impose a 500-word limit on the description part. Keep it focused and enumerate the records you want.

Q20. Can I track my RTI online?

Yes on rtionline.gov.in (Central Government). Most State portals (Maharashtra MahaOnline, Karnataka Sakala, Kerala CITU) also provide tracking. For offline RTIs, keep the Speed Post Acknowledgement Due (AD) slip.

Q21. What is Section 8?

The exemptions list. Ten specific grounds on which a PIO can refuse disclosure (each narrowly interpreted). (§8(1)(a) to (j))

Q22. What is the public-interest override?

If the PIO finds that public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm, information otherwise exempt under §8(1) must be disclosed. (§8(2))

Q23. Can the PIO just say “confidential”?

No. The word “confidential” has no legal standing. The PIO must cite the specific §8 sub-clause and record reasoning. (§7(8)(i))

Q24. What is §8(1)(j)?

Personal information of any person. After DPDP Rules, 2025 (effective 14 November 2025), it protects personal data absolutely; the override is now §8(2) public interest — not the old “relation to public activity” test.

Q25. What is §8(1)(e)?

Fiduciary relationship — lawyer/client, doctor/patient, trustee/beneficiary. Examination-answer sheets and service records are NOT fiduciary per Aditya Bandopadhyay (SC 2011).

Q26. What is Section 10?

“Severability”. Even if part of a record is exempt, the non-exempt part must be released after redaction. (§10(1), §10(2))

Q27. What is Section 11?

Third-party procedure. If the record contains another person's confidential information, the PIO must give that person 10 days to object before deciding on disclosure. (§11(1))

Q28. What is Section 24?

Intelligence and security organisations (CBI, IB, R&AW, NTRO, CRPF, BSF etc.) are exempt. BUT the proviso allows RTI for corruption or human-rights allegations. (§24(1))

Q29. What is Section 9?

Copyright ground — limited exemption where a third party (NOT the State) holds copyright. State-owned copyright is not a refusal ground. (§9)

Q30. What is Section 22?

The RTI Act's overriding effect on the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and any inconsistent law. A six-line constitutional-grade provision.

Q31. What is a First Appeal?

A statutory appeal under §19(1) to the First Appellate Authority (FAA) — an officer senior to the PIO. Filed within 30 days of the PIO order or deemed refusal. FAA has 30 (extendable to 45) days to decide.

Q32. Is there a fee for First Appeal?

No. Central RTI Rules, 2012 do not prescribe a fee for First Appeal.

Q33. What is a Second Appeal?

Under §19(3) — appeal to the Central Information Commission (Central matters) or State Information Commission (State matters) within 90 days of the FAA order. Commissions have broad powers under §19(8).

Q34. What is Section 20 penalty?

Rs 250 per day of delay or wrongful refusal, capped at Rs 25,000. Imposed on the PIO personally, after a show-cause opportunity. (§20(1))

Q35. Can I sue the PIO in civil court?

The RTI Act provides a statutory mechanism — First Appeal, Second Appeal, then writ under Article 226 before the High Court. Direct civil suit for damages is generally barred by §23.

Q36. What is Section 23?

Bar of jurisdiction — no civil court shall entertain any suit / application in respect of any order made under the Act. Appeals and writ before High Court are the exclusive route.

Q37. What changed on 14 November 2025?

Section 8(1)(j) was substituted by §44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. The old “relation to public activity” three-part test was removed. Personal information is now exempt cleanly; the override flows through §8(2) public interest.

Q38. Does DPDP 2025 apply to my old RTI?

No. Applications filed before 14 November 2025 are decided under the old §8(1)(j) three-part test per SBI v. Ramesh Tyagi (SC 2025).

Q39. Will I get less information now?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The new §8(1)(j) is cleaner but less expansive; the §8(2) override still works. Public-servant-conduct-in-public-capacity remains disclosable per Girish Deshpande (SC 2013).

Q40. What should a citizen do differently?

(a) Frame RTI around records of public-authority action, not personal data of individuals. (b) Ask for severable records under §10. © Invoke §8(2) public-interest override with specific reasoning. (d) Know that aggregated / de-identified data is usually safer to disclose than individual records.

• File RTI Online — 12-step guide — includes English + Hindi templates
• 20 RTI questions you can ask government
• Why RTI applications get rejected
• PIO RTI Reply Guide — for officers
• 25 RTI Questions — quicker reference
• RTI for passport, pension, FIR, mutation, scholarship
• RTI Glossary — 40 essential terms

• Section 4(1)(b) — 17 categories of proactive disclosure
• Section 8(1)(j) after DPDP 2025
• Section 11 — Third Party procedure
• Section 7(2) — Deemed refusal
• Section 19(1) First Appeal Guide
• Section 19(3) Second Appeal
• Section 20 Penalty
• Section 22 Override
• Section 24 Exempt Organisations
• Case-law database — 397 curated rulings

• New to RTI? Start with How to file RTI online.
• Have a rejection? Read Why RTI gets rejected — and the fixes.
• Need a template? Use the First RTI template.
• Want to know your rights? Read the complete RTI Act with DPDP 2025 overlay.
• PIO / FAA perspective? See the PIO / FAA Knowledge Base.

• Right to Information Act, 2005 (as amended) — §2, §3, §4, §6, §7, §8, §9, §10, §11, §19, §20, §22, §23, §24.
• Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 — §44(3), notified effective 14 November 2025.
• Supreme Court and High Court rulings cited above.
• Central RTI Rules, 2012.
• Curated case-law database: RTI Wiki — 397 landmark rulings.

Last reviewed: 22 April 2026.