RTI information pertaining to private entity

You can get information pertaining to private entity [private schools, colleges, coop societies/banks, private sector banks and insurance companies, public/private trusts, private service providers, public limited companies etc under section 2 [ f ] of RTI Act. Please follow this procedure.


1. Find out the government dept or government regulator with which the private entity is registered or is being controlled or monitored. For example trusts are reporting to Charity Commissioner of the area, mobile service providers to TRAI, private banks to RBI, insurance companies to IRDA, public limited companies to SEBI and Registrar of Companies. Coop Societies/banks report to District Registrar of Cooperative Societies. Schools are controlled by Dist. Education Officer and colleges by university. Majority of private bodies are controlled by one or the other govt. dept/regulator.

2. Locate PIO of this government dept/regulator, by visiting concerned website .

3. File application by referring to RTI Rules for format and fees applicable to central govt. [for central govt. dept/regulator like RBI, IRDA, TRAI, SEBI, ROC etc] or concerned state govt. [if department pertains to a state govt].

4. Add following as query:

Particulars of information required:

Please provide me information as per annexed list relating to ____________having Head/Main office at __________________ from your records and also by obtaining from the said entity under section 2 [ f ] of RTI Act 2005, which is reproduced here under for your kind reference:

(f)"information" means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force;

5. Attach list of information required by you as annexure to application.

6. You need not contact the private entity whose information is being sought. Now you are concerned with the govt. dept/regulator only and its PIO has to provide you the information sought by you.

7. Govt. departments or regulators can summon information under different laws from private bodies and the same has to be supplied to you.

8. Information barred by sections 8 & 9 of RTI Act cannot be accessed under section 2 [f] also.