The Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2005, and Maharashtra Right to Information (Amendment) Rules, 2012 provides the procedure for seeking information, procedure for seeking inspection of record, details of fees for information and appeals, and procedure for appeals. In this article, I have summarized the RTI Maharashtra: Application Procedure, RTI Fees, and Appeals Rules for your quick reference.
RTI Maharashtra: Procedure to file RTI Application
Under sub-section (1) of section (6) of the RTI Act, you can submit a request for information or inspection of record before concerned State Public Information Officer. You can file RTI Application in Maharashtra both Online and Offline. You may follow the following steps to submit request for information offline:
RTI Maharashtra: Procedure to file RTI Application Offline in Maharashtra
Step – 1: Identify the department to which your information most closely belongs.
Step – 2: Find the address of the Assistant State Public Information Officer/ State Public Information Officer of the concerned department.
Step – 3: Write your RTI Application on a plain paper in the format provided at Maharashtra RTI Application Format. You can write your RTI application in either Marathi or English language and will get the reply in Marathi or English.
Note: As per the Maharashtra Right to Information (Amendment) Rules, 2012, you must follow the following two rules while writing your application:
1) Your request for information shall relate to only single subject matter; and
2) The total number of words in your RTI Application shall not be more than 150.
If you want information on more than one subject matter, you shall submit separate RTI Application for each subject matter.
Step – 4: Pay the Fees of Rs. 10/- for the application by way of cash against proper receipt or demand draft or banker’s cheque payable to the public authority or by affixing a court fee stamp of Rs. 10/-.
Step – 5: Submit the completed RTI Application to the Assistant State Public Information Officer/ State Public Information Officer either personally or through Speed Post/ Registered Post.
RTI Maharashtra: Procedure to file RTI Application Online in Maharashtra
You can file RTI online in Maharashtra by visiting Maharashtra RTI Online. To know the step by step procedure to file RTI online in Maharashtra, please follow the step by step procedure mentioned in the pdf below:
How to File Online RTI in Maharashtra
However, there are a few limitation of filing online RTI Application in Maharashtra, i.e. online RTI Portal doesn’t support all the departments. In such cases, you must submit RTI Application offline.
RTI Maharashtra: RTI Fees Rules: RTI Fees Structure
RTI Fees for submitting application under sub-section (1) of section (6): Rs. 10/- per application
RTI Fees for Information under sub-section (1) and sub-section (5) of section (7), and inspection of record:
| For providing information under sub-section (1) of section (7) | |
| (A) (a) When the concerned department has already fixed the price of some documents, maps, etc.: | Price so fixed + Postal Charges. |
| (b) When the information is readily available, either by way of photocopying, or by other way (copy): | (i) Rs. 2/- per page (in A-4 or A-3 size paper) created or copied + Postal Charges; or (ii) Actual charges or cost price of a copy in large size paper + Postal Charges. |
| For inspection of records | |
| No Fee for the first hour; and A Fee of Rs. 5/- for each fifteen minutes (or fraction thereof) thereafter. Note: No Postal Charges shall be charged if the applicant collects the information personally. | |
| For providing the information under sub-section (5) of section 7 | |
| (a) for information provided in diskette or floppy | Rs. 50/- per diskette or floppy + Postal Charges |
| (b) for information provided in printed form | At the price fixed for such publication or Rs. 2/- per page of photocopy for extracts from the publication + Postal Charges. Note: No postal charges shall be charged if the applicant collects the information personally. |
RTI Fees for First Appeal, and Second Appeal :
| RTI Fees for First Appeal under sub-section (1) of section 19 | Rs. 20/- per appeal |
| RTI Fees for Second Appeal under sub-section (3) of section 19 | Rs. 20/- per appeal |
RTI Maharashtra: First Appeal under RTI
Under sub-section (1) of section (19) of the RTI Act, any person who, does not receive a decision within the time specified in sub-section (1) or clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 7, or is aggrieved by an order of the State Public Information Officer may, within thirty days from the date of receipt of the order of the State Public Information Officer, prefer an appeal to the concerned appellate authority.
You can file RTI First Appeal in Maharashtra both Online and Offline. You may follow the following steps to submit First Appeal offline:
RTI Maharashtra: Procedure to submit RTI First Appeal Offline in Maharashtra
Step – 1: Find the address of the First Appellate Authority of the concerned department. If you have received reply from State Public Information Officer, then details of appellate authority may be mentioned in the reply.
Step – 2: Write your RTI First Appeal on a plain paper in the format provided below. You can write your RTI First Appeal in either Marathi or English language and will get the reply in Marathi or English.
Maharashtra RTI First Appeal Form in English
Maharashtra RTI First Appeal Form in English
Maharashtra RTI First Appeal Form in Marathi
Maharashtra RTI First Appeal Form in Marathi
Step – 3: Attach the following along with your First Appeal:
(1) An appeal fee of Rs. 20/- by way of cash against proper receipt or demand draft or banker’s cheque payable to the public authority or by affixing a court fee stamp of Rs. 20/-; and
(2) A copy of such order appealed against (Reply of State Public Information Officer, if any).
Step – 4: Submit the completed RTI First Appeal to the First Appellate Authority either personally or through Speed Post/ Registered Post.
RTI Maharashtra: Procedure to submit RTI First Appeal Online in Maharashtra
You can submit RTI First Appeal online in Maharashtra only if you have submitted your RTI Application online. by visiting Maharashtra RTI Online. To know the step by step procedure to file RTI First Appeal online in Maharashtra, please follow the step by step procedure mentioned in the pdf below:
How to File Online RTI First Appeal in Maharashtra
RTI Maharashtra: Procedure to submit RTI Second Appeal in Maharashtra
Under sub-section (3) of section (19) of the RTI Act, any person aggrieved by an order of the appellate authority under sub-section (1) of section 19 may, within ninety days from the date of receipt of the order of the appellate authority, prefer a second appeal to the State Information Commission.
You may follow the step by step procedure provided below to submit RTI Second Appeal:
Step – 1: Write your RTI Second Appeal on a plain paper in the format provided below. You can write your RTI Second Appeal in either Marathi or English language and will get the reply in Marathi or English.
Maharashtra RTI Second Appeal Form in English
Maharashtra RTI Second Appeal Form in English
Maharashtra RTI Second Appeal Form in Marathi
Maharashtra RTI Second Appeal Form in Marathi
Step – 2: Attach the following along with your Second Appeal:
(1) An appeal fee of Rs. 20/- by way of cash against proper receipt or demand draft or banker’s cheque payable to the public authority or by affixing a court fee stamp of Rs. 20/-; and
(2) Self-attested copies of the Orders or documents against which the appeal is being preferred;
(3) Copies of documents relied upon by the appellant and referred to in the appeal; and
Step – 3: Submit the completed RTI Second Appeal to the State Information Commission either personally or through Speed Post/ Registered Post at following address:
In case of 2nd Appeal, how many copies need to be filed and whether advance copies have to be served to FAA and CPIO?
RTI Maharashtra: Procedure to submit RTI Complaint in Maharashtra
Under sub-section (1) of section (18) of the RTI Act, you can lodge complaint before State Information Commission. To know the procedure to file complaint, you may visit RTI Complaint Procedure.
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Viswas Menon
Good information ….thanks ….have shared it on Facebook for the benefit of my friends from Maharashtra
Sanjeet Kumar
Thank you very much Sir. You are equally contributing towards bringing transaparency and accountability in our government. If you wish to publish any article about RTI, you may do so at our website. I think, it will enrich knowledge of thousands of our readers.