RTI application maker for central and Maharashtra offices
Choose a central or Maharashtra office and describe what you want to know. You get a draft application under the Right to Information Act, 2005, with the fee, the word limit and the dates for your reply and first appeal. Maharashtra issued new RTI rules on 7 July 2026, and this tool follows them.
This is general information, not legal advice for your situation. What you type stays in your browser unless you choose to send it to an advocate.
Step 1: which office, and your dates
Fees and limits for a Maharashtra office
- Application feeRule 3, Maharashtra RTI Rules, 2026
- Rs 10
- CopiesA4 or A3, plus postal charges
- Rs 2 a page
- Inspecting recordsThen Rs 5 for each 15 minutes
- First hour free
- First appealWithin 30 days
- Rs 20
- Second appealWithin 90 days
- Rs 20
From the Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2026, published on 7 July 2026. The Rs 30 fee reported in June 2026 came from earlier rules that were replaced.
Step 2: your draft application
0 of 150 words
How to file it, and what to ask
Where to file
| Point | Central offices | Maharashtra offices |
|---|---|---|
| Online portal | rtionline.gov.in, for Government of India ministries and departments | rtionline.maharashtra.gov.in, for the offices listed on the portal |
| Online payment | Internet banking, Visa or Mastercard, UPI or RuPay | Internet banking, debit card or credit card |
| Length online | The text box takes 3,000 characters. Longer text can be attached | The manual asks for up to 150 words in the box. Longer text can be uploaded |
| On paper | Fee by Indian Postal Order, demand draft or banker’s cheque payable to the Accounts Officer, or cash against a receipt | Plain paper in the Annexure A format, with a Rs 10 court fee stamp, demand draft, banker’s cheque or cash against a receipt |
| Below the poverty line | No fee, with a copy of the certificate. Do not upload Aadhaar or PAN, but a BPL card may be uploaded | No fee, with a copy of the proof |
The Maharashtra portal says a request for a central body or another state is returned and the amount paid is not refunded. If your office is not on a portal’s list, send your application by post to its public information officer. Maharashtra portal helpline: 1800 120 8040 (checked November 2026).
Asking about a pending file
Ask for records, and avoid questions that ask the officer to give an opinion. For a pending file, you could ask for:
- The current status of my application no. [number] dated [date], and the name of the desk or officer holding it.
- The dates on which the file moved from one desk to another.
- Copies of the notes on the file about my application.
- The rule or circular that sets the time for deciding such an application.
In Maharashtra, keep one application to one subject. If you ask about several, the officer may answer only the first and advise you to file again for the others.
If you get no reply, or are not satisfied
- File a first appeal with the officer senior to the public information officer, within 30 days of the reply or of the date the reply was due.
- If that does not help, file a second appeal with the Information Commission within 90 days of the first appeal decision, or of the date it was due.
- Keep your application, the proof of sending and every reply.
Some information can be refused under Sections 8 and 9 of the Act. Only citizens have the right under Section 3, so the draft says that you are a citizen.
Common questions
What is the RTI application fee in Maharashtra?
The fee is Rs 10 under the Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2026, published on 7 July 2026. These replaced the rules of 12 June 2026, which had been widely reported with higher fees. Copies cost Rs 2 a page, and a first or second appeal costs Rs 20.
What is the RTI application fee for a central government office?
The fee is Rs 10 under the Right to Information Rules, 2012. Copies cost Rs 2 a page for A3 or smaller paper, and the first hour of inspection is free. A person below the poverty line pays no fee on giving a copy of the proper certificate with the application.
Is there a word limit for an RTI application?
In Maharashtra, a request must relate to one subject and ordinarily not exceed 150 words, and the officer may answer only the first subject of several. The central rules say ordinarily 500 words, excluding annexures, but an application cannot be rejected only for being longer than that.
Which online portal should I use to file an RTI?
Use RTI Online at rtionline.gov.in for ministries and departments of the Government of India. Use rtionline.maharashtra.gov.in for Maharashtra offices listed there. The Maharashtra portal warns that a request for a central or other state body is returned and the amount paid is not refunded.
How long does the office get to reply to an RTI?
The officer must reply within 30 days of receiving the request, or within 48 hours if the information concerns the life or liberty of a person. Five more days are added if you gave it to an Assistant Public Information Officer. You can appeal if no reply comes.
Do I have to give a reason for asking for information under RTI?
No. Section 6(2) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 says an applicant need not give any reason for asking, or any personal details beyond those needed to contact the applicant. Keep your request to the records you want, and leave out the background to your complaint.
- Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2026, Maharashtra Government Gazette, 7 July 2026
- Right to Information Act, 2005, Central Information Commission
- Right to Information Rules, 2012, Central Information Commission
- RTI Online guidelines, Government of India
- RTI Online, Government of Maharashtra
- RTI Online user manual for citizens, Government of Maharashtra
- SCC Online report on the earlier rules of 12 June 2026, now replaced