Open Records Laws › India › Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2005

Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2005

Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2005

Maharashtra Government Gazette, 2005; under RTI Act, 2005, s.28

Open Records Transparency: 41/100 (moderate) Transparency Score: 41/100

Response Timeline

Initial Response
30 days

30 days under RTI Act, 2005, s.7. If life or liberty is at stake: 48 hours. Maharashtra has its own SIC (Maharashtra State Information Commission) that adjudicates appeals. Application fee: Rs.50 (highest in country). Copy charge Rs.2 per A4 page. BPL applicants are exempt from all fees.

Exemptions

  • Information affecting sovereignty, integrity, security, or relations with foreign states
  • Cabinet papers including deliberations of the Council of Ministers
  • Trade secrets or commercial confidence causing competitive harm
  • Personal information with no public interest justification
  • Information held in fiduciary capacity
  • Information received in confidence from a foreign government
  • Information that would impede investigation or prosecution
  • Information that Parliament/Legislature prohibited from disclosing

Exemptions mirror RTI Act 2005 ss.8-9. Maharashtra courts have held that public interest override applies; disclosure required if public interest outweighs harm.

Appeal Process

1

1

Appeal to First Appellate Authority within the same department

2

2

Second appeal to Maharashtra State Information Commission (SIC)

Maharashtra SIC is based in Mumbai. Proceedings can be attended in person or online.

Sources & References