Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Patna High Court Sets 45-Day Limit for RTI Second Appeals
The Patna High Court made a new rule about RTI appeals.
RTI lets people ask public authorities for information.
The court said a second appeal should usually be decided within 30 days.
In special circumstances, it can take up to 45 days.
This gives people a clear time limit for getting an answer.
The court also said officials cannot simply deny information because records are missing or damaged.
The decision came in a case that had been going on for 17 years.
The court said information seekers should not be left without a remedy.
The Patna High Court ruled that RTI second appeals must be decided within 30 days.
The deadline may be extended to a maximum of 45 days.
The court said applicants should not be left “remediless” while seeking information.
Authorities cannot refuse information because public records are missing, untraceable, or damaged.
Justice Raj Kumar delivered the verdict on August 11 in a 17-year-old civil writ case.
- Who
- The Patna High Court, with Justice Raj Kumar delivering the verdict.
- What
- The court set a 30-day deadline, extendable to 45 days, for deciding second appeals under the RTI law.
- When
- The verdict was delivered on August 11; the order was uploaded two days before the report.
- Where
- The Patna High Court.
- Why
- To ensure that people seeking information are not left “remediless” and cannot be denied information solely because public records are missing, untraceable, or damaged.
- Law involved
- Right to Information Act, 2005
- Second-appeal deadline
- 30 days
- Maximum extension
- 45 days
- First-appeal deadline
- 45 days under the RTI Act
- Records ruling
- Missing, untraceable, or damaged public records cannot by themselves justify refusing information
- Verdict date
- August 11
- Case duration
- 17 years