RTI in Telangana: Dharani Portal, GHMC, TSSPDCL, and the TS Information Commission

If you live in Telangana — whether in Hyderabad, Warangal, Karimnagar, or a rural mandal — and you need information from a government body, the Right to Information Act, 2005 applies to you in full. But which portal you use, which authority you file with, and where your second appeal goes depends on a distinction that confuses many first-time RTI applicants: is the body you are dealing with a Telangana State body or a Central Government body?

This guide explains that distinction clearly, walks through the most important Telangana State bodies that citizens interact with — land records through Dharani, GHMC, TSSPDCL, TS RERA, and more — and tells you exactly what to ask and where to file.

The Two-Track RTI System in Telangana

Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014 under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. As a new state, Telangana established its own public authorities, its own state government bodies, and — crucially — its own State Information Commission under Section 15 of the RTI Act, 2005.

This creates two completely parallel tracks for RTI in Telangana:

Track 1: Telangana State Bodies These are departments, boards, corporations, and authorities created by or under the Telangana state government — such as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), TSSPDCL, Telangana Police, TSPSC, and the Dharani portal's Revenue Department. For these bodies:

• RTI applications are filed through the Telangana government's RTI portal (verify the current URL at the official Telangana government website before filing, as state portal addresses can change).
• Alternatively, applications can be submitted by post or in person to the CPIO (Central Public Information Officer) of the relevant department.
• First Appeals under Section 19(1) go to the First Appellate Authority (FAA) within the same department.
• Second Appeals under Section 19(3) go to the Telangana State Information Commission (TSIC), headquartered in Hyderabad.

Track 2: Central Government Bodies in Telangana Bodies set up by the Central Government that happen to be located in or serve Telangana — such as the Income Tax Department, EPFO, South Central Railway, IIT Hyderabad, NIT Warangal, BSNL, ONGC, and AAI — are Central Government public authorities. For these:

• RTI applications are filed on rtionline.gov.in (the Central Government's online RTI portal).
• Second Appeals go to the Central Information Commission (CIC) in New Delhi, not to TSIC.

Getting this distinction wrong means your second appeal goes to the wrong commission — which will simply return it to you, costing weeks.

The Telangana State Information Commission (TSIC)

The TSIC was established under Section 15 of the RTI Act, 2005, which mandates that every state constitute a State Information Commission. It is the apex quasi-judicial body for RTI matters in Telangana.

The Commission handles two kinds of matters: second appeals under Section 19(3) — where a citizen has already gone through the CPIO and the First Appellate Authority and is still dissatisfied — and complaints under Section 18, where there is an allegation that the PIO rejected an application, imposed an excessive fee, or otherwise obstructed access to information.

If the TSIC finds a violation, it can order disclosure of information, impose a penalty of ₹250 per day on the PIO personally (up to a maximum of ₹25,000 under Section 20), and recommend disciplinary action.

The TSIC's contact details and bench composition should be verified on the official Telangana government website, as these change when commissioners are appointed or retire.

Filing Fee and Telangana RTI Rules

State RTI rules are framed under Section 28 of the RTI Act, which empowers state governments to set their own fee structures and procedures. Telangana has its own RTI rules that govern the fee payable for filing an application and for obtaining copies.

Important caveat: Fee amounts for Telangana state RTI filings should be verified on the official Telangana RTI portal before you file, as state governments may revise their rules. The Central Government RTI fee is ₹10, but state fees are set independently under Section 28 and may differ.

One universal rule that applies regardless of state rules: under Section 7(5) of the RTI Act, citizens who are Below Poverty Line (BPL) cardholders are exempt from paying any fee for RTI applications or for obtaining copies. If you are a BPL cardholder, state this clearly in your application and attach a copy of your BPL card.

The standard response deadline for all RTI applications — both Central and State — is 30 days under Section 7(1). If the information concerns the life or liberty of a person, the timeline drops to 48 hours under the Section 7(1) proviso.

Dharani Portal and Land Records: The Single Largest Source of RTI Applications

Telangana launched the Dharani portal as an integrated land records management system — a single platform for Pattadar Passbooks, Record of Rights (RoR), mutations, and land transaction registrations. The Dharani system was intended to digitise and centralise land records, eliminating the need for a physical visit to a village revenue officer's office or mandal office for routine queries.

In practice, many citizens have found Dharani records to be incorrect, disputes have arisen over entries that appeared without prior notice, and some landowners found their land classified differently than expected. RTI is the formal legal route to get official documents and explanations in these situations.

What You Can Get Through RTI for Land Records

Pattadar Passbook / Khatadar Passbook: This is the primary ownership document in Telangana's land records system. If the name shown in your passbook is wrong, if a different person's name appears against your survey number, or if the passbook was issued without your knowledge, RTI gives you the right to get certified copies of the application, supporting documents, and the order on the basis of which the entry was made.

Pahani (Record of Rights — RoR): The Pahani document shows survey number details, land use classification, extent of land, ownership name, encumbrances, and cultivation details. If the Pahani shows the wrong land extent, wrong classification (agricultural vs non-agricultural), or an encumbrance you were not aware of, RTI can get you the official record along with the basis for the entry.

Mutation records: When land transfers hands through sale, inheritance, court decree, or gift, a mutation entry is supposed to be recorded in the Revenue records. If your mutation application is stuck — or if a mutation was recorded against your land without your consent — you can RTI for: the mutation application submitted, the documents verified by the Revenue Inspector (RI) or Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO), the order passed, and the date of entry.

Pre-Dharani records (old Records of Rights): For disputes involving land transactions that predated the Dharani system, or for verifying the history of a survey number, RTI can be used to obtain copies of older revenue records held at the Mandal or District Revenue level.

Village Officer's reports: The Revenue Inspector's field inspection report and the Mandal Revenue Officer's order are government documents. If a mutation was rejected or your passbook application was denied, these documents — which explain the official reasoning — are accessible through RTI.

The Revenue Hierarchy in Telangana

Telangana's revenue administration follows the hierarchy: State → District → Division → Mandal → Village. The relevant CPIO for most land record RTIs will be at the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) level for village-level records, or at the District Collector's Revenue office for district-level queries or when the MRO is unresponsive.

These are Telangana State government bodies, so second appeals go to the TSIC, not the CIC.

What Information to Include in a Dharani/Land RTI

Because the Dharani system is survey-number-based, your RTI application must include:

• Survey Number (and sub-division number if applicable)
• Khata Number (Khatadar number)
• Mandal name
• Village/Revenue Village name
• District

Without at least the survey number and mandal/village, the CPIO cannot identify the specific record in the system, and you will receive a response saying the information is not traceable.

Verify the current status of the Dharani portal on the official Telangana government website before relying on portal data — portal URLs and features can change with government policy updates.

GHMC: Building Plans, Property Tax, and Trade Licences

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is one of the largest municipal bodies in India, covering Hyderabad city and its surrounding areas. GHMC handles building plan approvals, layout permissions, occupancy certificates, completion certificates, property tax assessments, trade licences, and demolition and eviction proceedings.

GHMC is a Telangana State body. RTI applications to GHMC are filed with GHMC's designated CPIO, and second appeals go to the TSIC.

Through RTI, you can ask GHMC for:

• Building plan approval file: Was a building plan submitted for a specific plot? Was it approved or rejected? What are the approved setbacks, FAR, and number of floors? If you are buying a property and the seller says the building is fully approved, an RTI to GHMC will confirm or deny that within 30 days.
• Occupancy Certificate (OC) and Completion Certificate: Whether these were issued for a specific building, and the date of issue. Builders regularly misrepresent OC status to buyers. An RTI to GHMC is inexpensive and definitive.
• Demolition and show-cause notices: If your neighbour's property received a demolition notice and the demolition is affecting you, or if you received a notice and want the official file, RTI gives you the right to see the full file including the inspecting officer's report.
• Property tax records: The assessed annual value, tax paid history, and name of the property owner registered for tax purposes. Useful when there is a dispute about an inherited property or when the GHMC database shows the previous owner decades after a sale.
• Trade licence details: Whether a commercial establishment in your vicinity has a valid GHMC trade licence, the licence conditions, and any violations recorded.

HMDA: Layout Approvals and Land Development

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) handles land use planning and layout approvals across the Hyderabad Metropolitan Region — a much larger geographic footprint than GHMC alone. HMDA approves residential layouts, commercial developments, and manages the Outer Ring Road (ORR) corridor.

HMDA is a Telangana State body. Second appeals go to the TSIC.

Key RTI uses for HMDA:

• Verification of layout approval status for a plot you intend to purchase.
• Development charges levied and paid for a specific layout.
• Land acquisition proceedings under the ORR corridor — compensation calculations, award details, list of affected plots.
• Whether a specific plot falls within a prohibited zone, water body buffer, or open space reservation.

Before buying land in the Hyderabad metropolitan region, an RTI to HMDA verifying layout approval status is one of the most useful due-diligence steps a buyer can take.

TSSPDCL and TSNPDCL: Electricity Complaints

Telangana's electricity distribution is split geographically between two state companies:

• TSSPDCL (Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited) — covers Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medak, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, and adjacent districts.
• TSNPDCL (Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Company Limited) — covers Warangal, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Adilabad, and the northern districts.

Both are Telangana State bodies. Second appeals for both go to the TSIC.

Through RTI, you can ask TSSPDCL or TSNPDCL for:

• Billing records: The meter reading records, the tariff category applied to your connection, and the formula used to calculate a specific bill. If you have received a shockingly high bill and the office refuses to explain it, RTI for the meter reading register entries and the billing calculation.
• Meter testing report: If you have applied to have your meter tested and have not received a report, RTI for the testing order, date of testing, and the outcome.
• New service connection timeline: If your application for a new electricity connection has been pending beyond the prescribed timelines, RTI for the application status, the current stage in the process, and the reason for any delay.
• Transformer and feeder outage data: If your area experiences frequent and prolonged power cuts, RTI for the feeder-wise and transformer-wise outage log for a specific period is a powerful tool. It creates documented proof of the situation that can be used for compensation claims or consumer forum complaints.
• Contractor and work order records: For infrastructure work near your area — new transformer installation, line upgradation — RTI can get you the work order details and the contractor's name.

Telangana RERA (TS RERA)

The Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority operates under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. TS RERA handles builder registration, project registration, buyer complaints, and compliance proceedings.

TS RERA is a Telangana State body. Second appeals go to the TSIC.

Through RTI, you can ask TS RERA for:

• Project registration details: Whether a builder's project is registered with TS RERA, the registration number, and the project's registered details (land extent, approved number of units, promised amenities, completion date).
• Complaint proceedings: If you have filed a complaint with TS RERA and want the official status, or if you want copies of orders passed in complaints against a builder whose project you are considering.
• Compliance records: Whether a registered builder has filed quarterly progress reports with TS RERA as required.

Note that TS RERA's own website publishes much of this data, but an RTI gives you certified copies — which carry evidentiary weight in further legal proceedings.

Telangana Police

Telangana Police is a Telangana State police force, under the administrative control of the Telangana state government. This is different from Delhi Police, which is under the Central Government. For all Telangana Police RTI matters, second appeals go to the TSIC, not the CIC.

Through RTI, you can ask Telangana Police for:

• FIR copy: If an FIR was registered and you have not received a copy, RTI is your escalation route. (Note: Section 154(2) of the CrPC also gives the informant a direct right to an FIR copy — use that first.)
• Action Taken Report (ATR) on a complaint: If you filed a complaint and nothing has happened, RTI for the action taken.
• Investigation status: Whether an investigation has been completed, transferred, or closed.

Critical caveat — Section 8(1)(h): The RTI Act exempts information that would impede the process of investigation or prosecution or apprehension of offenders. For ongoing investigations, the police can legitimately refuse to disclose details of the investigation — the names of suspects, the evidence collected, the strategy of investigation. However, once an investigation is concluded (charge sheet filed, or final report submitted), Section 8(1)(h) no longer applies and the information becomes accessible. The distinction between an ongoing and a concluded investigation is the key question to keep in mind.

You can also RTI for the General Diary (GD) entries at a police station, attendance records, and administrative matters — these are not covered by Section 8(1)(h).

TSPSC: Recruitment and Exam Records

The Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) conducts recruitment examinations for Telangana state government posts. TSPSC is a state body; second appeals go to the TSIC.

Through RTI, you can ask TSPSC for:

• Marks / score: Your marks in a written examination (subject-wise, if applicable) and your normalised score where normalisation is used.
• Answer key: The final answer key used for evaluation, including any corrections made after representation.
• Selection criteria: The cut-off marks applied for each category, the merit list, and the basis for final selection in cases where additional criteria (interview, skill test) are used.
• Vacancy details: The exact number of vacancies notified, category-wise.

TSPSC RTI requests need to include the notification number and year and your Hall Ticket/Admission number to allow the CPIO to identify your specific record.

Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMRL)

Hyderabad Metro Rail operates under a public-private partnership structure. Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) is a company incorporated under the Companies Act by the Government of Telangana. The private concessionaire — L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited — holds the concession to build, operate, and maintain the metro system.

HMRL itself is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act — it is substantially owned and controlled by the Telangana state government. RTI applications to HMRL are appropriate and HMRL must respond.

However, there is a practical limit: Section 8(1)(d) exempts commercial confidence, trade secrets, or intellectual property where disclosure would harm the competitive position of a third party. Detailed financial arrangements, revenue sharing terms, and concessionaire pricing data that falls within the commercial agreement with the private operator may be withheld under this exemption.

You can use RTI with HMRL for: ridership statistics, station construction and completion records, land acquired for metro corridors, safety inspection reports, and public infrastructure decisions.

Second appeals for HMRL go to the TSIC as it is a Telangana State body.

Central Government Bodies in Telangana: Go to CIC, Not TSIC

This is the point most frequently confused. The following bodies are in Telangana but are Central Government public authorities. Their RTI applications must be filed on rtionline.gov.in and second appeals go to the CIC, not TSIC:

• Income Tax Department (under CBDT, Ministry of Finance)
• EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation)
• South Central Railway (under Railway Board, Ministry of Railways)
• Customs / CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs)
• IIT Hyderabad (central university, Ministry of Education)
• NIT Warangal, NIT Andhra Pradesh (National Institutes of Technology under central government)
• BSNL (central PSU)
• ONGC (central PSU — major operations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana)
• Airports Authority of India (AAI) — for the AAI component at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad. Note: RGIA is operated by GHIAL (GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited) under a concession; RTI against the private concessionaire is limited, but AAI's role in airport oversight is accessible through RTI at the central level.

Filing an RTI with one of these bodies through the Telangana state portal, or sending a second appeal to the TSIC, will not work — the application will be returned or ignored. Always confirm the administrative parent of the body before filing.

Quick Reference: Key Telangana Bodies, Filing Route, and Second Appeal

Practical Tips for Filing RTI in Telangana

For Dharani and land records: Always include the Survey Number, Khata Number, Mandal, and Village name in your RTI. Without these identifiers, the CPIO cannot locate your specific record in the system. If you are asking about a mutation, include the mutation application number if you have it.

For GHMC matters: Include the application number (if you applied for building approval or OC), the property address and ward number, or the GHMC property tax identification number. For trade licence queries, include the establishment name and address.

For TSSPDCL / TSNPDCL billing disputes: Include your Consumer Number (printed on the electricity bill), the billing period, and the specific bill date you are disputing. Ask for: (i) the meter reading register entry for the relevant dates, (ii) the tariff schedule applicable to your connection category, and (iii) the calculation used to derive the billed amount.

For TSPSC exam marks: Always include the notification number, year of the exam, and your Hall Ticket number. These identifiers are mandatory for the CPIO to locate your record.

Always verify the current Telangana RTI portal URL on the official Telangana government website before submitting an application. State government portal addresses have changed in the past, and using an outdated or third-party site could result in your application not being formally registered.

Certified copies: When you need documents for use in a legal proceeding, court case, or formal complaint, ask specifically for "certified copies" in your RTI. A plain printout from an official portal may not carry the same evidentiary weight as a certified copy bearing the officer's seal and signature.

First Appeal timing: Under Section 19(1), you must file your First Appeal within 30 days of the date of the CPIO's decision — or within 30 days of the expiry of the 30-day response period if the CPIO gave no response at all. Missing this deadline can prejudice your appeal. Calculate the deadline carefully and do not wait.

Penalties and Enforcement

If the TSIC finds that a PIO has failed to respond without reasonable cause, has given incorrect information, or has refused to provide information that should have been disclosed, it can impose a penalty under Section 20 of the RTI Act. The penalty is ₹250 for each day the default continued, subject to a maximum of ₹25,000, payable personally by the PIO — not by the government. The TSIC can also recommend disciplinary action.

This penalty provision is one of the most effective enforcement tools in the RTI Act. PIOs who know they face personal liability are incentivised to respond on time. Mention the penalty provision in your First Appeal if the CPIO's conduct was clearly obstructive — it is a legitimate legal argument.

A Note on RTISathi.com

RTISathi.com is built specifically to help Indian citizens file RTI applications with Central Government bodies and Delhi State bodies — CPIO identification, sample RTI drafts, application tracking, and the full online filing workflow for these authorities.

If your query relates to a Central Government body in Telangana — Income Tax, EPFO, Railways, IIT Hyderabad, NIT Warangal, or AAI — RTISathi can help you draft and file your application correctly on rtionline.gov.in, with the second appeal going to the CIC.

For Telangana State RTI — Dharani, GHMC, TSSPDCL, Telangana Police, TSPSC, and other state bodies — use the official Telangana government's RTI portal and the guidance in this article. Make sure you are filing with the correct CPIO for the Telangana state body, and route any second appeals to the TSIC in Hyderabad.

The information in this guide is based on the RTI Act, 2005 as applicable nationally and on the administrative structure of Telangana as of the date of publication. State portal URLs, fee amounts, and commission contact details should be verified at the official Telangana government website before filing.