How To File An RTI Online In 2026 — A Step-By-Step Guide
The Right to Information Act, 2005 gives any Indian citizen the right to ask any public authority for information, get a response within 30 days, and appeal if they don't. The whole process costs ₹10. Here is exactly how to file one in 2026, online, without going to any office.
Before you start: pick the right authority
An RTI must be addressed to the specific Public Information Officer (PIO) of the public authority that holds the information. If you ask the wrong office, your application gets forwarded (with the 30-day clock continuing), or rejected. Spend two minutes identifying the right body. Examples: PMO RTI for prime minister's office records, Ministry of Defence RTI for army records, individual ministry RTI for ministry-specific information, state RTI portals for state subjects.
Step 1 — Open the right portal
For central government RTIs, go to rtionline.gov.in. For most state government RTIs, every state has its own portal (search 'RTI online [state name]'). The central portal covers ministries, departments, central commissions, and PSUs under the central government.
Step 2 — Register or login
First-time users register with email and mobile. The verification is OTP-based and takes about a minute. Save your username — you will need it to track applications later.
Step 3 — Fill the application form
The form has five fields: select the ministry/department, write your name, declare citizenship, declare whether you are below the poverty line (BPL applicants pay nothing), and the actual text of your information request. Keep the request specific — the more focused your question, the harder it is for the PIO to claim they need more time or cannot identify what you're asking for.
Step 4 — Word your request like a lawyer
Three principles. First, ask for documents, not for explanations. The Act gives you the right to records, not to commentary. 'Please provide a copy of the file noting...' beats 'Please tell me why...'. Second, ask for time-bounded information ('from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025'), not open-ended. Third, ask question by question. Multiple specific questions in one RTI are fine; one vague question is hard to enforce.
Step 5 — Pay ₹10
The portal accepts UPI, debit card, credit card, and net banking. ₹10 is the application fee. Additional fees may apply if the response involves printing more than 10 pages (₹2 per page) or providing physical copies.
Step 6 — Track your application
Save the registration number. The PIO has 30 days to respond. If they refuse or stay silent, file a First Appeal to the First Appellate Authority within 30 days (free). If the First Appeal also fails, file a Second Appeal to the Central Information Commission (also free). The CIC has the power to impose penalties on PIOs who refuse without lawful cause.
Common reasons for refusal — and how to push back
The most common refusal is 'information not held by this office'. The legitimate response is to ask the PIO to forward your application to the correct office under Section 6(3). The PIO must do this; they cannot simply close the file. The second most common refusal is 'exempted under Section 8'. Section 8 has ten specific exemptions; if the PIO cites it, ask them to specify which clause and why.
The bottom line
RTI is one of the cheapest, most powerful citizen tools in any democracy. The system is designed to discourage you. The Act is designed to protect you. Persistence wins.
Further reading
Official RTI portal: rti.gov.in. RTI Act 2005 on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_Information_Act,_2005. RTI Foundation of India and SatarkNagrik Sangathan publish annual reports on RTI compliance.
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