If an applicant does not receive the reply in response to the RTI application within the prescribed time-limit or is aggrieved by a decision of the Public Information Officer (PIO), the applicant may prefer an appeal before the First Appellate Authority and a Second Appeal lies before the Central Information Commission (CIC). Further, in case, where an applicant, who believes that an incomplete, misleading or false information has been furnished by the PIO, can raise a complaint directly with the Central Information Commission (CIC)/State Information Commission (SIC), as the case may be.

The data on RTI applications received, replied and rejected along with the reasons of rejection, in respect of Public Authorities in Central Government, are available in the Annual Report of the CIC, for the respective years, which can be accessed at https://cic.gov.in/circular-reports-conventions. The rejection rate of RTI applications, in percentage, has come down to 3.26% in the year 2024-25 from 7.21% in the year 2013-14.

Assessment and review to evaluate the effectiveness of RTI Act framework is an ongoing process. Guidelines have been issued by the Government on conducting third-party transparency audit of proactive/suo-moto disclosures undertaken by the concerned Public Authorities. The CIC monitors the progress of transparency audit and pursues with all the Public Authorities to undertake the Audit.

This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

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NKR/AV