8 Rights Covered
Right to seek information from any public authority
Any citizen can request information from Central and State Government departments, PSUs, courts, and government-funded bodies under RTI Act 2005. Information must exist in the form of records.
Right to receive response within 30 days (48 hours for life/liberty)
Public Information Officer must reply within 30 days. For information concerning life and liberty: 48 hours. Failure to respond is deemed refusal and is independently appealable and penalisable.
Right to first appeal at no cost
If reply is unsatisfactory or not received, file First Appeal to the designated First Appellate Authority (FAA) within 30 days of reply or non-reply. No fee for first appeal. FAA must reply within 30 days.
Right to second appeal to Information Commission with penalty for delay
If First Appeal fails, file Second Appeal to CIC (Central) or SIC (State) within 90 days. Information Commissioner can impose penalty of Rs.250/day (max Rs.25,000) on defaulting PIO and award compensation.
Right to obtain copies of government documents and records
RTI allows you to obtain certified copies of documents, records, contracts, tender documents, inspection reports, audit reports, and meeting minutes. Fee: Rs.2 per page. Inspection of records is free for first hour.
Right to not give reason for seeking information
Under RTI Act Section 6, you do not have to state the reason for seeking information. You only need to give your name and contact. Reason cannot be used to deny information.
Nominal fee and exemption for BPL families
Central RTI: Rs.10 application fee by DD, IPO, or cash. BPL families: no fee whatsoever. State RTI: fee varies (Rs.10-50). For BPL: produce BPL certificate. Refusal to accept BPL exemption is itself appealable.
Protection for RTI applicants from victimisation
Applicant cannot be victimised, harassed, or subjected to adverse consequences for filing RTI. Whistle Blowers Protection Act 2014 provides additional cover for those who expose corruption through RTI.