Answer By law4u team
If the Public Information Officer (PIO) does not respond within the prescribed time under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, the applicant has certain remedies: Time Limit for Response: - 30 days from the date of receipt of the RTI application. - 48 hours in case the information concerns life or liberty. - 35 days if the application was sent through an Assistant PIO. If PIO does not respond within this time: 1. First Appeal: - You can file a first appeal to the First Appellate Authority (FAA) within 30 days from the date when the response was due or received. - The FAA must decide the appeal within 30 days, extendable to 45 days with reasons. 2. Second Appeal: - If unsatisfied with the FAA’s decision or if no decision is made, you can file a second appeal to the State or Central Information Commission within 90 days from the decision or expiry of time. 3. Complaint to Information Commission: - You may also file a direct complaint under Section 18 of the RTI Act to the Information Commission if: - No PIO is appointed - You are refused access - You are not given a response - You are required to pay unreasonable fees - You are given incomplete, misleading, or false information 4. Penalty on PIO: - The Information Commission may impose a penalty of ₹250 per day, up to ₹25,000, on the PIO for delay without reasonable cause.
