Karnataka has moved to close one of the oldest gaps in Right to Information (RTI) compliance: paper applications that slip through the cracks. The state has made online registration mandatory for RTI applications received by post or in person, and has notified that registration as a guaranteed, time-bound service under the Karnataka Sakala Services Act, 2011.
Under the new provisions, any public authority that receives a physical RTI application must enter it on the RTI online portal within two days of receipt. Once registered, the applicant gets an online registration number and can track the status of the request at any time. The Department of Information and Public Relations reiterated the measures on Monday, 26 October 2026, describing them as a step towards a simpler and more transparent RTI process.
Accountability with a price tag
Because the two-day registration is now a Sakala service, a delay carries consequences. If an application is not uploaded within the deadline, the applicant becomes eligible for compensation under the Sakala Act, and the officer concerned is held responsible, according to a statement issued by Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary, Praja Seva Department.
The state has also raised Sakala compensation across services. The earlier cap of Rs 500 (at Rs 20 a day) has been increased to a maximum of Rs 1,500 for a 25-day delay, with graded caps of Rs 100 for the first five days, Rs 300 for 10 days, Rs 600 for 15 days and Rs 1,000 for 20 days. The compensation is to be recovered from the erring official.
Assisted filing reaches the gram panchayat
In a parallel move, online RTI filing has been extended to all Bengaluru One, Karnataka One and Grama One centres across the state. Citizens who lack internet access or are unfamiliar with computers can walk into their nearest centre, file with staff assistance by paying the prescribed RTI fee and a nominal service charge, and receive an online acknowledgement on the spot. Taking the facility to Grama One centres brings digital RTI filing down to the gram panchayat level.
The government order also covers cases where the Public Information Officer (PIO) is not yet registered on the RTI portal. In such instances, the application must be forwarded to the district- or department-level nodal officer, who is responsible for getting the PIO onboarded without delay.
Why it matters for e-governance
Together, the measures bring physical applications, direct online submissions and centre-assisted filings onto one common platform. That single digital trail makes it far easier to monitor compliance with timelines under the RTI Act, 2005, and removes the risk of applications being lost, ignored or kept off the record.
For other states, Karnataka’s approach offers a practical template: rather than replacing paper channels outright, it digitises them at the point of receipt and ties the process to an enforceable service-delivery guarantee. Transparency, in this model, is measured by the portal, and delays are paid for by the officials responsible.