RTI first appeal: format and grounds
A sample RTI first appeal you can follow line by line: who it goes to, the grounds that work, what to ask for, what to attach, and the 30-day limit for filing it.
- ✓Address it to the First Appellate Authority: the officer senior to the Public Information Officer in the same office. File it within 30 days of the reply, or of the day the reply was due.
- ✓Say what you asked, what came back, and what is wrong with it, point by point. Ask for the information, free of charge if the reply was late.
- ✓Attach your application, proof of the date it was received, and the reply if one came. Keep proof of the date you sent the appeal.
What a first appeal is
A first appeal is a written appeal against a Public Information Officer's (PIO's) failure to reply, or against a reply you are unhappy with, under Section 19(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. It goes to an officer senior in rank to the PIO in the same office, usually called the First Appellate Authority (FAA). You file it within 30 days of the day the reply was due, or of the day a reply reached you. A late appeal can be admitted if you show you were prevented by sufficient cause — a good reason — from filing in time.
The appellate authority must decide within 30 days, or 45 days at most with reasons recorded (Section 19(6)).
If you are not sure you can appeal yet, read no RTI reply in 30 days first.
The sample appeal
To The First Appellate Authority under the Right to Information Act, 2005 [Designation, e.g. Additional Commissioner] [Name of the office and full address]
Subject: First appeal under Section 19(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005
Sir / Madam,
1. Appellant. [Your full name], [full postal address with PIN]. Phone / email (optional): [ ].
2. Public Information Officer. The Public Information Officer, [name of the office and address].
3. The application. RTI application dated [date], received by the office on [date] ([registration number / postal tracking number]). A copy is attached as Annexure A, with proof of the date of receipt as Annexure B.
4. The reply. (If none came:) No reply has been received. The time of 30 days under Section 7(1) expired on [date]. Under Section 7(2) the request is deemed to have been refused. (If a reply came:) The PIO replied by letter dated [date], received on [date], attached as Annexure C.
5. Grounds of appeal. (a) On question 1, [the reply gives no information / says "not available" without saying where the record is / refuses without giving a reason under Section 8 or 9]. (b) On question 2, [the copies supplied are incomplete: pages [ ] are missing]. (c) The reply does not state the period for appeal or the particulars of the appellate authority, as Section 7(8) requires. (d) The reply was not given within the time limit, so the information must be supplied free of charge under Section 7(6).
6. Relief sought. I request that the PIO be directed to: (i) give the information asked for in questions [ ] of my application, within a time you fix; (ii) supply it free of charge under Section 7(6); (iii) [give inspection of the file / certified copies], as asked in the application.
7. Hearing. I request an opportunity to be heard before the appeal is decided. (optional)
8. Time. This appeal is filed within 30 days from [the date the reply was due / the date the reply was received]. (If late: The appeal is late by [ ] days because [reason]. I request that the delay be excused under the proviso to Section 19(1).)
I declare that the facts stated above are true to the best of my knowledge.
Attached: Annexure A (application), Annexure B (proof of receipt), Annexure C (reply, if any), Annexure D (fee receipt or BPL card copy).
Date: [date] Place: [place]
Signature [Your full name]
What each part does
To. The appeal goes to the appellate authority of the same office as the PIO, not to the PIO. A refusal letter must name the appellate authority (Section 7(8)); if no reply came, look on the office's website or RTI page. "The First Appellate Authority" with the office's name and address is enough if you cannot find a name.
The application and the reply. Give the dates and reference numbers exactly. They show the appeal is in time.
Grounds. This is the heart of the appeal. Go question by question, and appeal only on the answers that are wrong. Good grounds are specific: "no reply in 30 days", "refused without giving a reason", "says the record is not available but does not say whether it was transferred, destroyed or never made", "copies incomplete". If the PIO relied on an exemption, say why it does not fit your question. The exemptions are only those in Sections 8 and 9.
Relief. Say exactly what you want ordered. Ask for the information to be given free of charge if the reply was late (Section 7(6)). Ask for it in the form you asked for in the application: information is ordinarily given in that form (Section 7(9)).
Time. If you are late, say so and give the reason. An unexplained late appeal can be rejected.
Where and how to send it
- Online. Central government offices take first appeals on the government's RTI Online portal, against your application's registration number. Some states have their own portals.
- By post. Send it by speed post or registered post to the appellate authority. Keep the postal receipt and the tracking printout.
- By hand. Take two copies. Hand in one and get the other stamped with the date received.
- Through an APIO. An Assistant Public Information Officer must accept an appeal and forward it (Section 5(2)).
The RTI Act itself does not fix a fee for the first appeal. For a state office, check the state's RTI rules before you send it.
What eMunshi's RTI first appeal includes
You answer the questions in about five minutes. The appeal is addressed to the First Appellate Authority, sets out your application, the reply or the fact that none came, each point on which the reply fails, and what you ask the authority to order. You see the full draft free before paying ₹299, all-inclusive. That covers the PDF with a Hindi copy, a filing guide, and two revisions.
If the appeal fails
If the appellate authority does not decide in time, or its decision does not get you the information, a second appeal lies to the Central or State Information Commission within 90 days (Section 19(3)). An independent advocate from our panel can take it on — see RTI second appeal.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending it to the PIO instead of the appellate authority.
- Vague grounds such as "the reply is unsatisfactory", with no point-by-point reasons.
- New questions that were not in the application.
- No copy of the application or proof of the date it was received.
- No proof of the date you sent the appeal. The second appeal's 90 days count from the appeal's decision, or the date it was due.
Questions people ask
Is there a fixed form for the first appeal?
The RTI Act does not prescribe one. Section 19(1) only says the appeal goes to the officer senior in rank to the PIO, within 30 days. Some governments' rules set out what an appeal should contain; for a state office, check that state's RTI rules.
Can I file the appeal in Hindi or my state's language?
The Act lets you make the application in English, Hindi or the official language of the area (Section 6(1)). Write the appeal in the same language as your application, so the same office can read both.
Can I add new questions in the appeal?
No. The appeal is about the information you asked for in the application. For new information, send a new application.
Can I ask to be heard in person?
Yes, you can ask for a hearing in the appeal. Many appellate authorities decide on the papers, so make your written grounds complete.
What if the appellate authority does not decide?
It must decide within 30 days, or within 45 days at most with reasons recorded (Section 19(6)). If it does not, a second appeal lies to the Information Commission within 90 days from the date the decision should have been made (Section 19(3)).
No RTI reply in 30 days: the first appealGuide
RTI application: format, the fee, where to send itFormatGetting information from a government office: RTIGuide
RTI second appeal (Information Commission)Court matterRTI second appealGet an advocateRTI first appeal — ₹299DocumentRTI application — ₹299DocumentUpdated 27 October 2026 · Awaiting review by a panel advocate · General information, not legal advice for your specific matter.