Like to file RTI application online? Check these steps

CIOL: Bangalore: Tuesday, March 12, 2013.

Though the facility is still in pilot phase, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is planning to roll out this facility across all ministries and departments situated in New Delhi and at a later stage, the DoPT would also consider for a nationwide roll-out of the facility.

Now, when the citizens of India can file requests for government information under the RTI Act by accessing a new portal- http://rtionline.gov.in/ - there could be some curiosity to know about the procedure to file RTI requests online.

Though the facility is still in its pilot phase, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is planning to roll out this facility across all ministries and departments situated in New Delhi and at a later stage, the DoPT would also consider for a nationwide roll-out of the facility.

Now the point is, how does one file a request online and would the RTI requests reach the right authority?

Procedure to file an RTI Application Online

At this initial stage, an applicant who desires to obtain any information under the RTI Act, 2005, can make a request to only the Central Public Authorities of main Ministries/Departments through the RTI Online Portal. As per the RTI Act, the applicant need not pay any fee for the first appeal.

While filing an appeal with the First Appellate Authority (FAA), the applicant has to select the option "Submit First Appeal" in the RTI Online Portal and fill up the form that will appear. The registration number of original application may be used for the reference.

The appeal filed through this RTI Online Portal will also reach electronically to the Nodal Officer of the Ministry or Department concerned and ‘not' to the first Appellate Authority. The Nodal Officer will transmit the first appeal to the concerned First Appellate Authority (FAA), either electronically or physically.

In case the RTI application is not meant for the Ministry or Department, which has been selected by the applicant, the "Nodal Officer" of the said Ministry or Department will transfer the application electronically to the "Nodal Officer" of the main Ministry or Department concerned that is located at New Delhi, under section 6(3) of the RTI Act.

Once the application has been submitted, a unique registration number will be issued, which may be referred by the applicant for any reference in future. The application filed through this RTI Online Portal will reach electronically to the "Nodal Officer" of the Ministry or Department concerned and ‘not' to the CPIO of the Ministry or Department concerned.

The Nodal Officer will transmit the RTI application, either electronically or physically to the concerned CPIO.

While filing the application online, the text may be written in the prescribed column of the form. Currently, the text of the application is restricted to 500 characters only in the prescribed column of the form. In case, the text of an application contains more than 500 characters, it can be uploaded as a PDF attachment in the "Supporting Document" column of the form.