How To Write a RTI Application - Important Guidelines

Pre-Requisites

1. Name, Address, Contact Telephone number, and Email id (if possible).
2. Information about Public Information officer, name, address e.t.c.
3. Locate central Government PIO's here
4. And in case you have any problem in locating your PIO/APIO, you can send your RTI application to the PIO C/o Head of Department with the requisite application fee. The Head of Department will have to forward your application to the concerned PIO.

Do not adress your RTI application to the PIO by his name, just in case he gets transferred or a new PIO is designated in his place. Public Authorities under the centre, states, legislatures and Supreme/High courts have framed separate rules for RTI. The amount of fees and the mode of payment varies and you should check the correct rules as applicable in your case.

Methods for depositing fees

1. In person by paying cash [Do take your receipt]
2. By Post through:
(a).Demand Draft/Bankers Cheque
(b).Indian Postal Order
(c).Money orders (only in some states)
(d).Affixing Court fee Stamp (only in some states)
3. For Public Authorities under Central RTI rules, DoPT has recently clarified that BC/DD/IPO can be in favour of "Accounts Officer". If the department or administrative unit does not have a Accounts Officer, they are supposed to designate someone.

Writing Tips

While writing a RTI application, the framing of the questions is of utmost importance. A slight vague questions gives the PIO a chance to reject your application.
Follow these guidelines:
1. Use a white sheet of paper to write an application. There is no need of using Court stamp paper. You can use your letter pad for asking for information.
2. The matter can be hand written, or typed. There is no compulsion of typing the content.
3. Make sure the application is legible and easy to read.
4. There is no restriction on number of pages for asking information.
5. There are also no restriction on number of questions that can be asked in one application. However, it is generally advisable to ask restrict one application with limited set of questions and generally related ones.

NOTE: The state of Karnataka has recently passed a amendment to its RTI rules restricting the RTI application to one subject matter and to 150 words.

6. You need to be specific while asking question
7. Ask as many short questions as you like, but dont go for a lengthy one.
8. Even if you are on some designation, there is no need to mention that, cause law provides the right to ask a question only to a citizen and not to officer post.
9. If the information sought is voluminous, it is better to ask it in the form of CD to save on cost.
10. It is advised not to ask a question with WHY, For example: Why politicians are corrupt or Why parliament didn't passed this bill? Such questions are liable to be rejected being not covered under RTI.
11. Mention the payment details like BC/DD/IPO number, issuing bank/post office, date, cash receipt details , etc., towards the end of your application.

Written by: Puneet Batish - ♂ Founder & Author                          

An Advocate at District & Session Court and Punjab & Haryana High Court, Chandigarh. He is the founder & author of GeekUpd8 and a Contributor at wikipedia.org, the online encyclopedia.