Central Public Information Officer (CPIO)
Section 5, RTI Act 2005
A CPIO is simply a PIO in a central (Union) government public authority — central ministries, departments, PSUs and central bodies. The role and duties are identical to a State PIO; only the jurisdiction differs.
“CPIO” stands for Central Public Information Officer. It is the same role as a Public Information Officer (PIO), but for offices that come under the Central (Union) Government — for example a central ministry, a central PSU, EPFO, the Passport Office, or a nationalised bank.
When you file an RTI with a central body, address it “To: The CPIO, [name of office]”. If the CPIO does not reply within 30 days or rejects your request, your Second Appeal goes to the Central Information Commission (CIC).
Key points
- CPIO = a PIO in a Central Government public authority.
- Address central RTIs to “The CPIO, [office]”.
- Same 30-day timeline and Section 20 penalties as any PIO.
- Second appeals against central bodies go to the CIC, not a State Commission.
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This is a plain-English summary of the Right to Information Act, 2005 for general understanding — educational, not legal advice. For a specific case, the exact wording of the Act and your facts matter.
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