RTI Online- Step by Step Guide to File RTI Online

It is possible now to file RTI Online with the Department of Personnel and Training Online RTI portal for 75 Ministry/Department/Apex body only by visiting their online portal here! Here is what you need to know before you file an RTI Online. Share this article http://rti.cc/rtionline

Where can I file RTI Online ?

RTI applications/first appeals can be filed by Indian Citizens for all Ministries/Departments and few other Public Authorities of Central Government as listed in the table below. RTI cannot be filed for Public authorities under the State Governments, including Government of NCT Delhi. If filed, the application would be returned, without refund of amount.This contains the list of the Ministry/Department/Apex body where one can file the RTI Online. (Updated as on 30th June 2014)

Serial	Department / Ministry
1	Cabinet Secretariat
2	Department of Administrative Reforms & PG
3	Department of AIDS Control
4	Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries
5	Department of Atomic Energy
6	Department of AYUSH
7	Department of Bio-Technology
8	Department of Chemical & Petrochemicals
9	Department of Commerce
10	Department of Consumer Affairs
11	Department of Defence
12	Department of Defence Production
13	Department of Economic Affairs
14	Department of Expenditure
15	Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare
16	Department of Financial Services
17	Department of Food & Public Distribution
18	Department of Health & Family Welfare
19	Department of Health Research
20	Department of Heavy Industries
21	Department of Higher Education
22	Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion
23	Department of Information Technology
24	Department of Justice
25	Department of Personnel & Training
26	Department of Pharmaceuticals
27	Department of Posts
28	Department of Public Enterprises
29	Department of Revenue
30	Department of School Education and Literacy
31	Department of Science & Technology
32	Department of Scientific & Industrial Research
33	Department of Space
34	Department of Telecommunications
35	Legislative Department
36	Ministry of Civil Aviation
37	Ministry of Coal
38	Ministry of Corporate Affairs
39	Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
40	Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation
41	Ministry of Earth Sciences
42	Ministry of Environment & Forests
43	Ministry of External Affairs
44	Ministry of Food Processing Industries
45	Ministry of Home Affairs
46	Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation
47	Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
48	Ministry of Labour & Employment
49	Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
50	Ministry of Mines
51	Ministry of Minority Affairs
52	Ministry of New & Renewable Energy
53	Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
54	Ministry of Panchayti Raj
55	Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
56	Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
57	Ministry of Power
58	Ministry of Railways
59	Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
60	Ministry of Rural Development
61	Ministry of Shipping
62	Ministry of Social Justice & empowerment
63	Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation
64	Ministry of Steel
65	Ministry of Textiles
66	Ministry of Tourism
67	Ministry of Tribal Affairs
68	Ministry of Urban Development
69	Ministry of Water Resources
70	Ministry of Women & Child Development
71	Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
72	Planning Commission
73	President Secretariat
74	Prime Minister's Office
75	Vice-President Secretariat

What are the Prerequisites for filing RTI Online?

First you need to be Indian citizen to file RTI application. The Citizenship is as per the RTI Act Section 3.
Online Payment: You need to have either Internet Banking or ATM-cum-Debit Card of State Bank of India or alternatively any Credit/Debit card of Master/Visa only. It may be noted that no RTI fee is required to be paid by a citizen who is below poverty line, as per RTI Rules, 2012. However, the BPL applicant must attach a copy of the certificate issued by the appropriate government in this regard, along with the application.
Email Address
Your Postal Address
If you have query which is more than 3000 words, keep it ready as attachment. You can request our team to help in drafting your RTI queries by posting at our forum here: Ask for Framing an RTI Question.

How to file RTI Online?

Once you have all the details described above, and the question ready, you need to visit the Government of India website here: https://rtionline.gov.in/. Please do not get bothered about this screen welcoming you:

OR

The RTI Online portal is https (Secured site) developed by NIC and the security certificate is also that of NIC. However, the certificate of the NIC though valid but is not recognised by the popular browsers till date. All you need to do is to add exception, or ignore the warning and go ahead. If you have more technical knowledge and want to be doubly sure of the RTI online portal, then you can view the certificate of the website which appears like this:

Once you have overcome the primary hurdle of security, the Home page of RTI Online portal looks like this:

RTI Online Official Portal — Official Government Portal for filing RTI Online

You can either create a new account with the RTI Online Portal or go straight to filing an RTI. The link to file an RTI is available at the top of the site ‘Submit Request‘. Once you click on the ‘Submit Request’, you shall be asked to accept the Terms and Conditions of filing RTI Online. This shall appear something like this:

All you need to do is to read the terms and conditions and click on ‘I Have read and understood the above guidelines’. After you have accepted the terms of filing RTI Online, you shall be presented with the following page:

GUIDELINES FOR USE OF RTI ONLINE PORTAL

The official user manual for filing RTI Online is available with the Government website and should be referred always.

The fields marked * are mandatory while the others are optional.
The text of the application may be written at the prescribed column. At present, the text of an application that can be uploaded at the prescribed column is confined to 3000 characters only. In case an application contains more than 3000 characters, it can be uploaded as an attachment, by using column “Supporting document”.
Only after making payment, an application can be submitted. After clicking on the “Pay” button, applicant will be directed to SBI Payment Gateway for payment. After completing the payment process, applicant will be redirected back to RTI Online Portal. On submission of the application, a unique registration number would be issued, which may be referred by the applicant for any references in future.
The applicant will get an email and sms alert (if mobile no. provided) on submission of application.
Status of the RTI application/first appeal filed online can be seen by the applicant/appellant by clicking at “View Status“.
The application filed through this Web Portal would reach electronically to the “Nodal Officer” of concerned Ministry/Department, who would transmit the RTI application electronically to the concerned CPIO.

Additional Payment for RTI Online

In case additional fee is required representing the cost for providing information, the CPIO would intimate the applicant through RTI Online portal. This intimation can be seen by the applicant through Status Report or through his/her e-mail alert. Additional payment can be made by clicking on Make Payment link. Then the applicant will be directed to payment gateway again. Here is what the Status shall look like:

Forwarding to multiple CPIO

Filing RTI Online seems very easy if you follow the above steps, but wait, there is a tricky part too. If you correctly asked all the information belonging to one CPIO, you must consider yourself lucky. However, if you have asked information which belonged to multiple CPIO, you are in for some difficult position. Once CPIO decides that the questions belong to other CPIO’s too, he shall forward to multiple CPIO’s and you shall get multiple registration number. If for example the RTI application has been split into four CPIO, then four replies will be received by the applicant. The tricky part is that in case the applicant is not satisfied with the reply of a particular CPIO, then appeal needs to be filed for that particular registration no and not to the original RTI Application. You can request our team to help in drafting your RTI queries by posting at our forum here: Ask for Framing an RTI Question.

Here are the other important links for you:

   What is Right to Information
   Read the RTI Act
   Download Sample RTI
   Court Judgements on RTI
   Centre State RTI Rules & Fees
   Who is RTI Activist
   How to become RTI Activist
   Search RTI Activist
   RTI News
   Member RTI Blogs
   RTI iPhone App
   RTI Android App