Telangana Right to Information Rules, 2005 (inherited from Andhra Pradesh RTI Rules 2005)

Response Timeline

30 days under RTI Act 2005, s.7(1). Life or liberty requests: 48 hours (s.7(1) proviso). If information from a third party: 40 days. BPL applicants are exempt from all fees. Telangana was bifurcated from Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014 under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The state continued applying the AP Right to Information (Regulation of Fees and Cost) Rules, 2005. Telangana Information Commission (TGIC) constituted 13 Sep 2017.

Exemptions

• Information affecting sovereignty, integrity, security, or relations with foreign states (s.8(1)(a))
• Information expressly forbidden by court or which would constitute contempt (s.8(1)(b))
• Information whose disclosure is prohibited by Parliament/Legislature (s.8(1)(c))
• Cabinet papers including deliberations of the Council of Ministers (s.8(1)(i))
• Trade secrets or commercial confidence causing competitive harm (s.8(1)(d))
• Information held in fiduciary capacity (s.8(1)(e))
• Information received in confidence from a foreign government (s.8(1)(f))
• Information that would impede investigation, prosecution, or fair trial (s.8(1)(g),(h))
• Personal information with no public interest justification (s.8(1)(j))

Exemptions mirror RTI Act 2005 ss.8-9. Notwithstanding any exemption, information that cannot be denied to Parliament/Legislature cannot be denied to a citizen (s.8(2)). Public interest override applies (s.8(2)).

Appeal Process

Telangana Information Commission (TGIC) at tsic.gov.in. Constituted by GO dated 13 Sep 2017.

Sources & References

• Full text of law →
• Primary source →
• http://tsic.gov.in/
• https://onlinerti.com/how-to-file-rti-online-for-telangana