Right to information is an act that allows citizens to get information within 30 days of making an application to a government body or organization relating to state (public authority).
When writing an RTI application, you must fulfill these requirements:
- Be a citizen
- Provide particulars of the information you are seeking
- Enclose e evidence of payment for the application fee
- Include your address for a public information officer to use it when sending the reply
Filing RTI information to central or state government should begin when you identify a department that holds the information that you are trying to obtain. For instance, anything that relates to defense should go the ministry of defense while tax information lies with income tax department.
Writing a proper RTI application
After identifying the department to best custom essay writing services seek information you should write the RTI application in a formal format. There is a mandatory format, and you can submit a letter on a plain paper. However, you should make it official and well-organized. The language of the application in English or Hindi, and the government can respond in any of the two.
Do the following when you are filing your RTI.
- Prepare your questions and make sure that you number them.
- Insert an introductory text that can be similar to a letter. You can begin with general text such as “Dear Sir, I request you to provide this information.” Follow the introduction with your questions.
- Insert footer under the questions. It is here that you should provide the serial number of a postal order that you use an application fee. Footer can also reveal whether the details that you are seeking are public information. You may also state whether you are an interested party and specify a reason for requesting this information, but this part is optional. It is not mandatory to provide the reasons for seeking information, and nobody should deny you a reply for failing to state why you are using RTI act 2005 to obtain particular information. Conclude the letter with a signature.
- Like other letters, you should add a subject line that states ‘request for information under the right to information act 2005.’
- Add the ‘from’ for the reader to know the source and to the fields in the appropriate manner.
- Pay the necessary fees
- It costs Rs. 10 to file an RTI file. An applicant should pay it in the form of a postal order and attach it to the application as a proof of payment.
- Attach a postal order to the RTI letter using s paper clip and put both into the envelope. Remember to write the correct address of the government department that should receive the questions. The RTI application is ready to mail or drop at the appropriate department.
An RTI application enables you to get the information you may not have obtained through the usual procedure. Write more than one if you need more answers to avoid overwhelming the public information officer. It will take a long time to get answers. Write applications with only 3-4 questions.
You should also limit the scope of your question. For instance, it is an over ambition to ask for information that requires a pervasive search. If you ask for information about all retail business licenses for the last 50 years, it will difficult or impossible to find records that are that old.