How an RTI application can unstick a stalled file

Published 17 Aug 2026 · about 3 min read

When a file sits for months and every visit ends in "come back next week", a one-page Right to Information request often moves it in days — and it costs ₹10.

What RTI is

The Right to Information Act, 2005 lets any citizen ask a public authority about its work. Every office has a Public Information Officer (PIO) who must reply within 30 days. Asking about your own pending file is a normal, lawful thing to do — and it puts the delay on the record.

Why it works on a stuck file

Once you ask, in writing, why a file has not moved and who is holding it, someone has to write the answer down and sign it. A delay that was easy to shrug off becomes a question with a name attached and a clock running. Files often clear before the reply is even due.

What to ask

• The current status of application number ______, filed on ______.
• The date it was received and each step taken since, with dates.
• The name and designation of the officer with whom it is currently pending.
• The reason for any delay beyond the citizen's-charter timeline.
• The date by which a decision will be made.

A template you can copy

To: The Public Information Officer, [office name] Subject: Request under the RTI Act, 2005 1. Present status of application no. [___] dated [___]. 2. Date-wise action taken on this application so far. 3. Name and designation of the officer currently holding the file. 4. Reason for delay beyond the notified service timeline. 5. Expected date of decision. I enclose the ₹10 fee. I belong to [BPL / general] category. [Name, address, signature, date]

The details

The fee is ₹10 (waived if you hold a BPL card), payable by postal order, court-fee stamp, or the state's online RTI portal. File it with the office that holds your file. If there is no reply in 30 days, you can appeal to the First Appellate Authority for free.

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