The facility for filing online RTI Applications and RTI first Appeals along with e-payment of RTI fees @ https://rtionline.gov.in was launched by Department of Personnel and Training (“DoPT”) in the year 2013.
Coverage of DoPT’s https://rtionline.gov.in:
Initially, the online facility was available only to access information from DoPT[1]. Today, this facility covers a total of 2271[2] Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Undertakings and other Institutions functioning under the Central Government and provides a single window access to them. However, this online facility is not available for public authorities under the State Governments.
The online procedure of https://rtionline.gov.in:
The procedure for filing the online RTI applications/appeals and making payment is quite easy. In fact, when an applicant clicks on the ‘submit request’ option, he is greeted by the ‘Guidelines for Use of RTI Online Portal’ (‘the Guidelines’). It is only after the applicant gives an indication that he has understood the Guidelines by clicking on the check box of ‘I have read and understood the above guidelines’ that, he can access the ‘Online Request Form’.
Guidelines for Use of RTI Online Portal
The Guidelines provide the step by step procedure and other requirements for submitting the online request. All the necessary aspects of an RTI application such as, fee, additional fee, mode of payment of fee have been explained in details in the Guidelines.
Online Request Form of https://rtionline.gov.in:
The Online Request Form contains both the mandatory and the non-mandatory fields.
The mandatory fields are (1) Select Ministry/Department/Apex body (2) Address (3) E-mail ID (4) Confirm E-mail ID (5) Is the Applicant below poverty line (6) Text for RTI request application (to be upto 3000 characters, if more, then, a supporting document is to be uploaded) (7) Security Code.
The non-mandatory fields are (1) Name (2) Gender (3) Pin Code (4) Country (5) State (6) Status (Rural/Urban) (7) Educational Status (Literate/Illiterate) (8) Phone Number (9) Mobile Number (10) Supporting document.
Online Payment @ https://rtionline.gov.in:
The payment can be made through the following modes:
- Internet banking through SBI and its associated banks
- Using credit/debit card of Master/Visa
- Using RuPay Card
Online RTI First Appeal Form:
For filing of online RTI appeal, the RTI appellant has to click on ‘Submit First Appeal’ option and after clicking on ‘I have read and understood the above guidelines’, has to provide the request registration number, e-mail ID and security code. The ‘Online RTI First Appeal Form’ that opens up contains the same mandatory and non-mandatory fields as that of the ‘submit request’ option, except that, the term of application is replaced with the word appeal and the form contains an extra column of ground for appeal. On submitting the ‘Online RTI First Appeal Form’, a unique registration number will get generated for it.
Creating an account on https://rtionline.gov.in:
It is not mandatory to register on https://rtionline.gov.in. One can straight away file an online RTI application by submitting on the ‘Submit Request’ option.
The applicant however, has the option of opening an account on https://rtionline.gov.in by clicking on ‘Sign Up here’ on the main page of https://rtionline.gov.in and thereafter filling up the ‘User Registration Form’. In his account, he will have the fields of ‘Submit Request’, ‘Submit First Appeal’, ‘View Status’’, ‘FAQ’, ‘My Account’, ‘Login History’, ‘Logout’ and will have the statistics on (1) Requests Registered (2) Requests Disposed of (3) Requests Pending. He will also have the status on (1) Appeals Registered (2) Appeals Disposed of (3) Appeals Pending.
For citizens, who, file frequent RTI applications, creating an account would be a good option, as then, they will have a complete overview of the applications/appeals filed by them.
Special features of https://rtionline.gov.in
- https://rtionline.gov.in is available in both Hindi and English.
- Every RTI application/appeal is given a unique registration number.
- The status of the application/first appeal filed can be checked by the Applicant by clicking on ‘View Status’.
- Applicant has the facility to receive sms alerts in respect of his application/appeal in case he provides his mobile number.
- Any additional requirement by the CPIO such as additional fees etc will get displayed on the Online RTI Status Form.
- Any errors that might have occurred at the time of submit request such as the supporting document being not accessible will also get displayed in on the Online RTI Status Form.
- In case, the RTI request is returned to the RTI applicant for any reason, its status too will also get displayed on the online RTI Status Form.
- If, the application is transferred to another public authority, then, the details of the new public authority will also get reflected.
- If the RTI request is forwarded to many CPIOs, then. the details of all the CPIOs will get reflected and all the applications will have different registration numbers.
These special features make the filing of online RTI applications and appeals on https://rtionline.gov.in, quick, easy and transparent!
Filing of Online Second RTI Appeals:
Online Second Appeals can be filed with the Central Information Commission @ cic.gov.in. Some State Information Commissions also provide the facility of filing online RTI Appeals.
[1] DoPT OM No.1/1/2013-IR dated 8.4.2013
[2] https://www.businesstoday.in/top-story/over-33000-complaints-appeals-pending-in-cic-government/story/391487.html
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