RTI First Appeal: How to File under Section 19 (Format Inside)
No reply in 30 days, or a half answer? Do not file a fresh RTI. Climb one step: a free first appeal to the senior officer, then the Information Commission.
WhenWhen Can You File an RTI First Appeal?
Step by stepHow to File RTI First Appeal: 6 Steps
- 1
📅 Check the dates
Count 30 days from the date the PIO received your application. If no reply came, your 30 days for appeal start from the 31st day. If a reply came, they start from the day you got it.
- 2
👤 Find the First Appellate Authority
It is the officer senior in rank to the PIO in the same office. The PIO's reply usually names this officer; otherwise it is on the office's Section 4 disclosure page or notice board. Write "The First Appellate Authority" with the office address.
- 3
📝 Write the appeal (no fee for Central offices)
Use the format below. Attach copies of your RTI application, the fee proof, the postal receipt and the PIO's reply (if any). The Central rules charge no fee for a first appeal; a few States do, so check.
- 4
📮 Send it and keep proof
Speed Post or hand delivery with a receiving copy. For Central offices click "Submit First Appeal" on rtionline.gov.in using your RTI registration number.
- 5
⏱️ Decision in 30 days (45 at most)
The appellate officer must decide in 30 days, or up to 45 days with written reasons (Section 19(6)). You may be called for a hearing; you can attend or ask for a decision on papers.
- 6
🏛️ Still nothing? Second appeal in 90 days
Go to the Central Information Commission (for Central offices, cic.gov.in) or your State Information Commission within 90 days. The Commission can order the information and fine the PIO ₹250 a day up to ₹25,000 (Section 20).
Free formatRTI First Appeal Format (Sample to Copy)
Fill the blanks, keep only the grounds that apply, sign it and attach the copies.
To,
The First Appellate Authority,
(under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act, 2005)
Office of the __________________
__________________ (address)
Subject: First appeal under Section 19(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005
1. Name and address of the appellant: __________________________________
2. Name and address of the PIO: ________________________________________
3. Date of RTI application: __/__/____ Fee paid by: IPO / DD / online No. ______
4. Date of PIO's reply, if any: __/__/____ (or: no reply received till date)
5. Grounds of appeal:
(a) No information was given within 30 days, which is a deemed refusal under Section 7(2).
(b) / OR The information given on points ___ is incomplete / misleading.
(c) / OR The refusal does not state any valid ground under Section 8 or 9.
6. Relief sought:
(a) Direct the PIO to provide the complete information on all points, free of cost
under Section 7(6), within 15 days.
(b) Allow inspection of the related files, if required.
Enclosures: copy of RTI application, fee proof, postal receipt, PIO's reply (if any).
I declare that the facts above are true to the best of my knowledge.
Name: __________________ Mobile / Email: __________________
Date: __/__/2026 Signature: __________LadderRTI Appeal Ladder: First Appeal, Second Appeal, Complaint
| Stage | Where | Time limit to file | Time to decide |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTI application | PIO | — | 30 days (48 hours for life/liberty) |
| First appeal · s.19(1) | Senior officer in the same office | 30 days | 30 days, max 45 |
| Second appeal · s.19(3) | Central / State Information Commission | 90 days | No fixed limit in the Act |
| Complaint · s.18 | Central / State Information Commission | When no PIO, fee is unreasonable, or false information | — |
The lawSection 19 of the RTI Act 2005
Right to Information Act, 2005 · Section 19(1). Any person who, does not receive a decision within the time specified in sub-section (1) or clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 7, or is aggrieved by a decision of the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, may within thirty days from the expiry of such period or from the receipt of such a decision prefer an appeal to such officer who is senior in rank to the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer as the case may be, in each public authority: Provided that such officer may admit the appeal after the expiry of the period of thirty days if he or she is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time.
Section 19(3). A second appeal against the decision under sub-section (1) shall lie within ninety days from the date on which the decision should have been made or was actually received, with the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission: …
Section 19(6). An appeal under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall be disposed of within thirty days of the receipt of the appeal or within such extended period not exceeding a total of forty-five days from the date of filing thereof, as the case may be, for reasons to be recorded in writing.
If the PIO stays silent or gives half an answer, you go one step up in the same office. That senior officer has 30 days. If that also fails, the Information Commission is the referee, and it can fine the PIO personally.
🏠 Everyday analogy
Like a complaint about a shop assistant: first you go to the store manager; if the manager ignores you, you go to the consumer forum.
🇮🇳 Real Indian example
Sunita asked her Municipal Corporation for the bills of a drain in her lane. No reply in 30 days. On day 41 she filed a first appeal; in 25 days the officer ordered the PIO to give all copies free.
ConstitutionAppeals and the Constitution
Article 19(1)(a): Right to know
The appeal system makes the right to information enforceable instead of a favour from an officer.
Article 14: Fair and non-arbitrary action
A refusal must give reasons under Sections 8 or 9; an unexplained refusal is arbitrary and can be challenged.
Practice MCQTest Yourself: RTI Appeal
Under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005, a second appeal to the Information Commission must be filed within:
Doubts ClearedFrequently Asked Questions
What if the PIO does not reply in 30 days?
It is a deemed refusal under Section 7(2). File a first appeal within the next 30 days; you can also ask that the information be given free under Section 7(6).
Is there a fee for an RTI first appeal?
No fee is charged for first appeals in Central Government offices. A few States prescribe a small fee; check your State's rules.
Who is the First Appellate Authority?
An officer senior in rank to the PIO in the same public authority. The PIO's reply or the office's Section 4 disclosure names this officer.
Can I file the first appeal after 30 days?
Yes, if you explain the delay. The proviso to Section 19(1) lets the officer admit a late appeal for sufficient cause.
Can the Information Commission fine the PIO?
Yes. Under Section 20(1) it can impose ₹250 for each day of delay, up to ₹25,000, after hearing the PIO.
Sources and further readingSources We Checked
Facts checked on 23 October 2026 against the RTI Act, 2005 (Sections 7, 18, 19, 20). State fees can differ.