1) Right to Information Act – 2005

The time limits for replying to the request.

If the request has been made to the CPIO, the reply is to be given within 30 days of receipt.
If the request has been made to an ACPIO, the reply is to be given within 35 days of receipt.
Information concerning corruption and Human Rights violations by scheduled Security agencies (those listed in the Second Schedule to the Act) is to be provided within 45 days but with the prior approval of the competent authority.
However, if life or liberty of any person is involved, the CPIO is expected to reply within 48 hours.

Since the information is to be paid for, the reply of the CPIO is necessarily limited to either denying the request (in whole or part) and/or providing a computation of “further fees”. The time between the reply of the CPIO and the time taken to deposit the further fees for information is excluded from the time allowed. If information is not provided within a period, it is treated as deemed refusal. Refusal with or without reasons may be ground for appeal or complaint. Further, information not provided in the times prescribed is to be provided free of charge.

There is a fee of Rs.10 for filing the request, Rs.2 per page of information and Rs.5 for each hour of inspection after the first hour. If the applicant is a Below Poverty Card holder, then no fee shall apply. Such BPL Card holders have to provide a copy of their BPL card along with their application to the CPIO.

Information Exclusions:
The following is exempt from disclosure (Extracted from the RTI Act 2005).
Information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, “strategic, scientific or economic” interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offense;
Information which has been expressly forbidden to be published by any court of law or tribunal or the disclosure of which may constitute contempt of court;
Information, the disclosure of which would cause a breach of privilege of Parliament or the State Legislature;
Information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information;
Information available to a person in his/her fiduciary relationship, unless the competent authority is satisfied that the larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information;
Information, the disclosure of which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes;
Information which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders;
Information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual;
Notwithstanding any of the exemptions listed above, a public authority may allow access to information, if public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm to the protected interests.