RTI Act 2005
Appeal Mechanism (Section 19)
The Right to Information Act, 2005, under Section 19, establishes a two-tier appeal mechanism for dissatisfied applicants. The First Appeal lies with a designated officer senior to the PIO in the same public authority, to be filed within 30 days of the PIO's decision (or the expiry of the response period). The First Appellate Authority must dispose of the appeal within 30 days, extendable to 45 days with reasons. If the applicant remains aggrieved, a Second Appeal lies with the CIC (for central government bodies) or SIC (for state bodies), to be filed within 90 days of the First Appellate Authority's decision. The CIC has binding powers to direct disclosure, order compensation, and impose penalties on errant PIOs.
- PIO response deadline: 30 days from receipt of application; 48 hours if the matter concerns life or liberty
- First Appeal: to be filed within 30 days; disposed of within 30–45 days
- Second Appeal: to be filed within 90 days; lies before CIC (central) or SIC (state)
- CIC/SIC powers: direct disclosure, require compliance steps, award compensation, impose penalties of up to ₹25,000 per case on errant PIOs
- CIC decisions are binding on public authorities
● Tracked since February 03, 2026 · last seen March 23, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes