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FIRST APPELLATE AUTHORITY

Technically speaking once you have submitted your RTI Application you will need to wait for reply from Public Information Officer within 30 days (35 days if sent by Post).

If Public Information Officer (PIO) replies earlier and you are not satisfied with the reply
OR
If no reply is received after aforesaid days
then you can file again the RTI Application to the First Appellate Authority for concerned department.
So after the Public Information Officer (PIO) its the First Appellate Authority.
Remember that for appealing to the First appealate authority you need to file the RTI within 30 days from the date when you should have received the reply or putting it in more simpler terms RTI application to First Appealate authority should be made after 30 days and before 60 days from the date on which you requested information from Public Information Officer.

Soon I received a letter (dated 03rd Feb 2011) to the Police department with a copy to us on 09th Feb 2011 by concerned Public Information Officer, Passport Office, Ranchi. Since he never replied to us so I had to wait for good one month for his reply. On 03rd March 2011 my relatives filed the RTI for Passport to the First Appellate authority .

First Appellate authority is the designated officer senior in rank to the Public Information Officer. For finding the First appellate authority I used the same Passport website. Things have changed a lot since the time I filed my first RTI Application. The present website details both the PIO and First Appellate authority address. Previously I had to search a lot for the First Appellate authority for Passport. Also remember while you do not need to pay any fees for this application, still check your state law ....I did not pay any fees for my RTI Application to the First Appellate Authority.

Please enclose copies of every RTI application made, replies received, Postal Order and whatever you think is necessary for the case. Self-attest all photo-copies fo the documents.

It was at this step that I broke down. My friends started cursing me that in this country there is no hope and that I went the RTI way ?...Relatives said "Ab bhool jao ...jo aana bhi tha passport ko, woh ab nahin ayega"...On the Internet also I found remarks like "The First Appellate Authority is also from the same department and response has not be very encouraging". So finally I joined back the ship, totally fed up with this system.