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Punjab RTI Online Portal Help (Connect Punjab): Registration, Department Not Listed, Payment and Offline Filing

Note: FileMyRTI is not a government website. This guide helps citizens use the official RTI portal correctly. If the portal does not support your department or filing route, FileMyRTI can help you file through the correct online or postal method.

Quick answer

In Punjab, RTI is filed online through the "Connect Punjab" citizen-services portal at connect.punjab.gov.in - you register an account, log in and choose the RTI service. You pay the fee online during filing, and you can file both First and Second Appeals online too. Do not use this for Central Government offices or other States. If your Punjab authority is not available online, file by post to the concerned PIO.

Go to connect.punjab.gov.in > Fee: Follow the fee amount and payment options shown by the portal during filing. The Punjab fee is set by the Punjab RTI Rules (some sources cite Rs. 50) - confirm the exact amount on the portal before paying. BPL applicants should follow the exemption rules shown by the portal.

CoversPunjab State Government public authorities. RTI is filed through the unified "Connect Punjab" citizen-services portal (Department of Governance Reforms & IT), which also handles First and Second Appeals online.

Does NOT coverCentral Government offices and public authorities of other States. For Central Government RTIs, use rtionline.gov.in.

Before you start, keep these ready

Your full name and postal address
A mobile number and email ID (to register on Connect Punjab)
Connect Punjab account / login details
The Punjab department / public authority you want information from
Your RTI questions, written in plain text
A payment method as shown by the portal during filing
BPL proof, if claiming the fee exemption

Good to know: Punjab does not have a standalone RTI filing site - RTI is one service inside the unified Connect Punjab portal. You must register an account and log in before you can "Apply RTI" (there is no anonymous one-shot filing). The older rti.punjab.gov.in is an information / disclosure site.

How filing works

Open connect.punjab.gov.in and register / log in (an account is required).
Choose the RTI service ("Apply RTI") on the portal.
Select the concerned Punjab public authority and enter your applicant details.
Write your RTI request in clear, plain text and upload a supporting document if needed.
Pay the fee online through the option shown by the portal.
Submit and save the registration / reference number - you need it to track and to appeal.
Track status on the portal and use "Submit First Appeal" (and, if needed, "Submit Second Appeal") online.

If your department is not listed (the most common problem)

Look for the parent Punjab department - the office may sit under a larger public authority.
If it is a Central Government office, use the Central RTI portal (rtionline.gov.in) - see our Central portal help.
If it is another State's public authority, use that State's RTI route.
If a Punjab office is not available on the portal, file by post to the concerned PIO - see our guide to filing RTI offline.
Use Section 6(3) transfer only after a reasonable effort to identify the correct public authority. See Section 6(3) explained.
Not sure which office or PIO? Use FindMyPIO, or let FileMyRTI identify it and file for you.

Common portal errors and how to fix them

Registration / login not working

Check the email/mobile you registered with on Connect Punjab and retry; clear the browser cache or try another browser. If it keeps failing and your matter is time-sensitive, file by post so you do not lose time.

Department / public authority not found

Look for the parent Punjab department. If it is a Central Government office, use rtionline.gov.in. If a Punjab office is not available on the portal, file by post to its PIO.

Payment failed, or amount debited but not confirmed

Do not pay again immediately. Save the bank/transaction reference and check the status. If debited but not confirmed, keep the reference and retry only after confirming.

Portal rejects special characters in your RTI text

Remove bullets, emojis, smart/curly quotes and copied formatting. Paste your draft into Notepad first, then use simple punctuation.

Supporting document upload failed

Use a small PDF and remove spaces/special characters from the file name. Upload only what is relevant to your RTI (and a BPL certificate if claiming the exemption).

No registration / reference number generated

Do not assume the RTI was filed. Check the portal status and your email. If nothing appears, retry or file by post and keep the postal receipt as proof.

Filing a First Appeal

You can file the First Appeal online on Connect Punjab from your RTI status page ("Submit First Appeal"). Punjab also lets you file the Second Appeal online through the same portal. The appellate body is the Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC), which hears second appeals (including by video conferencing). If your RTI was filed by post, file the appeal physically to the First Appellate Authority of the same office.

When to use a State portal or file offline instead

The Punjab office is not available on the portal, or Connect Punjab registration/payment keeps failing.
The office is a Central Government body or another State's authority - use the Central portal (rtionline.gov.in) or that State's route.
You want a Speed Post trail as documentary proof, or you already know the PIO address.

For the postal route, see how to file an RTI offline (by post), including how to attach the fee.

Postal RTI packet checklist

Signed RTI application
Correct fee instrument or BPL proof
Supporting document, if needed
Envelope addressed to the PIO / public authority
Your return address
A photo or photocopy of the full packet before dispatch
The Speed Post or registered post receipt

Not sure whether to file online or by post? FileMyRTI can identify the route and file it for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I file RTI online in Punjab?

Register and log in on the Connect Punjab portal (connect.punjab.gov.in), choose the RTI service, select the Punjab public authority, write your RTI and pay online.

Do I need an account to file Punjab RTI?

Yes. RTI is a service inside the unified Connect Punjab portal, and you must register/log in before filing.

Can I file a First or Second Appeal online in Punjab?

Yes. Both First and Second Appeals can be filed online through Connect Punjab; the Punjab State Information Commission hears second appeals.

Can I file Central Government RTI on the Punjab portal?

No. Use it only for Punjab State public authorities; for Central Government RTIs use rtionline.gov.in.

Can FileMyRTI file a Punjab RTI for me?

Yes. FileMyRTI can draft the RTI, identify the correct Punjab public authority or PIO, and file it through the correct online or postal route.

Punjab State Information Commission RTI helpline: 0172-2864100 (10:00 AM to 4:00 PM).

Stuck on the portal? FileMyRTI can file it for youWe draft it, identify the correct PIO, and file via the right online or postal route - from Rs. 399

I only need help finding the correct PIO >

Last verified: June 2026 - verified against the official Punjab RTI citizen user manual and the Connect Punjab portal (connect.punjab.gov.in); login is required and First/Second Appeals are online. The exact fee, payment modes and any character limit are set on the portal and were not separately confirmed - reconfirm on the portal before filing. See also: the national RTI online guide, the Fee Calculator, and more portal help guides.