How to file an RTI

Under the RTI Act, every government department, ministry, PSU, municipal body and most government-funded bodies must answer questions from citizens within 30 days. They must share documents, file notings, budget heads, tender details, beneficiary lists and inspection reports — unless covered by a narrow list of exemptions (Section 8).

You do not need a lawyer. You do not need to give a reason. You only need to identify the public authority and ask clear, factual questions.

Central government departments (e.g. Ministry of Agriculture, NHAI, Railways): file online at rtionline.gov.in.

State government departments (e.g. Gujarat Agriculture Dept, Punjab PWD): some states have their own portal, otherwise file offline by post.

• Gujarat: rti.gujarat.gov.in
• Maharashtra: rtionline.maharashtra.gov.in
• Other states: search "RTI online <state name>" or file by post to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the department.

Application fee is usually ₹10 (free for BPL applicants with proof). Pay by online portal, postal order, demand draft, or Indian Postal Order (IPO) addressed to the "Accounts Officer" of the department.

If the reply contains photocopies, there is a per-page fee (typically ₹2/page) which the PIO will ask you to deposit before sending the documents.

RTI replies are only as useful as the questions you ask. Bad: "What has the government done about farmer welfare?" — too vague, will be rejected or generically answered. Good: specific, factual, document-linked.

For a manifesto promise like "Develop Khedut Mandis", ask the Gujarat State Agricultural Marketing Board:

1. Please provide a list of all APMC yards modernised under the Khedut Mandi modernisation programme between Dec 2022 and the date of this reply, with location and date of completion.
2. Please provide budget allocations and actual expenditure under any scheme head related to APMC / Khedut Mandi modernisation for FY 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
3. Please provide copies of all Government Resolutions (GRs) issued sanctioning work under this programme during the above period.
4. Please provide the total number of tenders floated, tenders awarded, and works completed, under this programme during the above period.

Tip: ask for existing documents ("provide a copy of…", "provide a list of…"), not opinions or future plans — those can be legally refused.

Replies usually arrive by post or email within 30 days. You will get one of:

• Direct answer with documents — the strongest evidence.
• Transferred to another department (under Section 6(3)) — wait for that department's reply.
• Partial / unclear answer — you can file a First Appeal within 30 days to the First Appellate Authority of the same department, free of cost.
• Refusal — must cite a specific section of the Act. If the refusal is wrong, file a First Appeal, and then a Second Appeal to the State / Central Information Commission.

RTI is your legal right, but keep your requests strictly factual and document-based. Do not include allegations, political commentary or personal attacks — these can be used to dismiss the request. Keep a copy of every application, postal receipt and reply.

If your RTI reply confirms, contradicts or adds detail to any tracked promise, please share it with us. We will review and, if it is a valid public document, attach it as a source on the promise card with credit (or anonymously, if you prefer).

What to include when submitting:

• The promise ID (e.g. GJ22-28.01) from the promise card.
• A public link to the RTI reply (Google Drive, Dropbox, government portal) — or paste the reply text in full.
• Department name, PIO name (if visible), and date of the reply.
• A one-line summary of what the reply proves.