RTI in West Bengal: Filing, Banglarbhumi Land Records, and the West Bengal Information Commission

West Bengal has a long tradition of civic engagement, and the Right to Information Act, 2005 has found plenty of use here. From land record disputes in rural Birbhum to property tax assessments in Kolkata's congested boroughs, from WBHIDCO flat allotments in New Town to panchayat scheme records in the Sundarbans — RTI gives West Bengal residents a legal mechanism to demand accountability from the state government and its many bodies.

This guide walks through how to file RTI in West Bengal, the role of the West Bengal Information Commission, how West Bengal's unique land record system works and how to use RTI within it, which state bodies you can target, and a few important exceptions that trip up a lot of first-time filers.

The West Bengal Information Commission — Your Second-Appeal Body

Every state under the RTI Act, 2005 is required to establish a State Information Commission under Section 15 of the Act. West Bengal's is the West Bengal Information Commission (WBIC), based in Kolkata.

When you file an RTI application with a West Bengal state government body and are not satisfied with the response — or receive no response within 30 days under Section 7(1) — the appeal process works as follows:

1. First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File 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 you received no response at all. This goes to the First Appellate Authority (FAA) — a senior officer within the same public authority.
2. Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): If the First Appeal is also unsatisfactory or unanswered, file a Second Appeal with the West Bengal Information Commission within 90 days of the FAA's decision (or its deemed refusal). The WBIC has the powers of a civil court for this purpose and can order disclosure and impose penalties.

The WBIC can impose a penalty of ₹250 per day (maximum ₹25,000) on a CPIO who fails to comply without reasonable cause, under Section 20 of the RTI Act. It can also recommend disciplinary action.

Important: The WBIC only handles second appeals for West Bengal state government bodies. Central Government bodies operating in West Bengal — the Income Tax department, Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway, EPFO, ESIC, IIT Kharagpur, Damodar Valley Corporation — fall under the Central Information Commission (CIC) in Delhi, not the WBIC. This distinction matters enormously and is covered in detail below.

Filing RTI with West Bengal State Bodies

West Bengal state government bodies are governed by the West Bengal Right to Information Rules, notified by the state government under Section 28 of the RTI Act. The filing fee and procedures are set by these state rules.

For online filing with West Bengal state bodies, the state has a designated RTI portal. Always verify the current portal address on the official West Bengal government website before filing, as portal URLs and payment mechanisms are subject to change. For postal applications, you write your RTI letter, attach a fee payment instrument acceptable under the state rules (such as an Indian Postal Order or court fee stamp for the applicable amount — verify the current fee before filing), and send it by Speed Post or registered post to the CPIO at the relevant state authority.

The 30-day response deadline under Section 7(1), the no-reasons requirement under Section 6(2), the transfer obligation under Section 6(3), and the Section 8 exemptions from disclosure all apply identically to West Bengal state bodies as they do to any Central Government body. These come from the Act itself and cannot be altered by state rules.

BPL cardholders are entitled to file RTI applications free of charge under Section 7(5) of the Act. This is in the Act itself, not just the state rules, and applies to all West Bengal state authorities. Attach a self-attested copy of your BPL card and mention Section 7(5) explicitly.

West Bengal's Land Record System: Khatian, Dag Number, Mouza, and Banglarbhumi

West Bengal has its own distinct land record terminology inherited from the Bengal Survey tradition. If you are dealing with a land record dispute, mutation, or ownership query in West Bengal, understanding these terms is essential before you draft any RTI.

Mouza — The Basic Unit

A Mouza is the basic revenue village unit in West Bengal. Every parcel of land in the state belongs to a specific Mouza. Land records — ownership records, field maps, mutation registers — are organised at the Mouza level. When filing an RTI about land, always identify the Mouza name, Mouza number (JL number), and the district and block.

Dag Number — The Field/Plot Identifier

A Dag number is the unique identifier for an individual field or plot within a Mouza, roughly equivalent to a Khasra number in northern India. Each Dag number corresponds to a specific piece of land with defined boundaries and area on the cadastral map (CS or RS map). If you are asking the government about a specific piece of land, the Dag number is the most important identifier to include in your RTI.

RS Khatian and LR Khatian — Two Layers of Ownership Records

West Bengal has two parallel sets of land ownership records, and the distinction between them is critical:

RS Khatian (Revisional Survey Khatian): The Record of Rights produced during the Revisional Survey (RS) conducted in most areas during the 20th century. This is a historical ownership record — it shows who held the land at the time of the survey. In areas where no subsequent LR survey was completed, the RS Khatian may still be the operative ownership record. It lists the owner's name, Dag numbers, area of each Dag, type of land (agricultural, homestead, tank, etc.), and the nature of the right (owner, bargadar/sharecropper, raiyat).

LR Khatian (Land Reforms Khatian): The Record of Rights produced after the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955 — the current operative ownership record for most of the state. Land reforms in West Bengal resulted in the vesting of land (ceiling surplus and intermediary interests) with the state, redistribution, and the creation of new raiyati rights. The LR Khatian reflects the post-land-reform ownership position. In most cases, when you are asking about current ownership, it is the LR Khatian that is relevant.

Khatian generally: A Khatian (whether RS or LR) is essentially a folio in the Record of Rights register, comparable to a Jamabandi in Punjab/Haryana or a 7/12 extract in Maharashtra. It shows the owner's name (recorded raiyat), the Dag numbers included in that Khatian, the area of each Dag, land classification, and any encumbrances or sharecropper (bargadar) entries.

Banglarbhumi — The Online Land Records Portal

The West Bengal government maintains Banglarbhumi (banglarbhumi.gov.in — verify the current URL before use) as its online land records portal. Banglarbhumi allows citizens to check RS and LR Khatian details, Dag information, and mutation status online. For many queries — simply viewing Khatian details, finding the Dag number for a Mouza — the portal may give you what you need without a formal RTI.

However, Banglarbhumi has important limitations. For certified copies of Khatians or mutation orders — documents carrying official seal that are usable as evidence — you need to go through the formal process, typically at the Block Land and Land Reforms Officer (BL&LRO) office or the Tahsildar. If the portal data is inaccurate, outdated, or shows incorrect ownership, you need formal correction through mutation proceedings, not just a portal query. And when you need to know why a mutation was rejected, who applied for a mutation you did not authorise, or what orders were passed on a disputed plot — RTI is the right tool.

RTI for Land Records: Who to File With

For land records in West Bengal, the key offices are:

• Block Land and Land Reforms Officer (BL&LRO): The primary custodian of land records at the block level. Files RTI here for: LR Khatian records, mutation (PCR — Periodic Correction of Records) registers, orders passed on mutation applications, certified copies of Khatian entries, records of land classification or type conversion at the field level.
• District Land and Land Reforms Officer (DLLRO) / Additional District Magistrate (Land Reforms): For district-level land reform records, ceiling surplus vesting orders, redistribution records.
• Sub-Registrar's office: For registered sale deeds, gift deeds, mortgages, and partition deeds — the government's copy of every deed registered within that sub-district.

All of these are West Bengal state government bodies. Second appeals go to the WBIC, not the CIC.

Land Conversion Under Section 4C of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act

One issue that comes up frequently in West Bengal — especially in peri-urban areas near Kolkata, in Rajarhat-New Town, and around industrial corridors — is the conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural use.

Under Section 4C of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, agricultural land cannot be used for non-agricultural purposes without government permission. The permission process involves an application to the BL&LRO or District Magistrate's office, an inquiry, an order granting or refusing conversion, and a conversion fee.

If you believe conversion permission was granted improperly — without the required inquiry, on a false application, or in favour of an applicant who had no right — RTI is a powerful tool. You can file an RTI with the CPIO at the BL&LRO's office or the District Magistrate's office asking for:

• The conversion application submitted for Dag number X in Mouza Y, JL number Z, Block A, District B
• The order passed on the application, including the date and the name of the officer who passed it
• The inquiry report prepared before the order was issued
• The fee collected and the date of payment
• Whether the Khatian has been updated to reflect the changed land use

Conversion-related RTIs are among the more politically sensitive land RTIs in West Bengal, given the scale of agricultural land conversion that has occurred around urban areas in the last two decades. Responses may come slowly, but the legal right to these records is clear — they are government records held in the normal course of administration.

Key West Bengal State Bodies and Common RTI Use Cases

KMC — Kolkata Municipal Corporation

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is the urban local body responsible for Kolkata city. It is a West Bengal state body — second appeals go to the WBIC.

Common RTI uses with KMC:

• Property tax records: The annual valuation, the basis of assessment, the tax paid history, and the current registered owner's name in KMC's records. Useful for ownership disputes and for verifying whether a seller has paid all outstanding dues before you complete a purchase.
• Building plan approvals: Whether a building plan was submitted, when it was approved, what deviations were approved, and whether a Completion Certificate or Occupancy Certificate was issued. Essential before buying a flat in a privately constructed building in Kolkata.
• Trade licence records: Whether a specific business at a given address holds a valid KMC trade licence and the details of that licence.
• Drainage and sewerage complaints: If KMC has received a complaint about drainage or sewerage at your address, the complaint register entry and the action taken report are RTI-accessible.

File with the CPIO at the relevant KMC Borough Office or the CPIO at KMC Head Office, depending on the nature of the query.

KMDA — Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority

The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) is responsible for planning and development across the Kolkata metropolitan area. It is a West Bengal state body — second appeals go to the WBIC.

RTI with KMDA is useful for: development plans and land use designations in the metropolitan area, whether a specific project received KMDA clearance, records of schemes financed by KMDA in a particular municipality or town.

WBHIDCO — West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation

WBHIDCO (West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation) is the state body that developed and manages New Town (Rajarhat) and other housing projects. It is a West Bengal state body — second appeals go to the WBIC.

If you have applied for a WBHIDCO flat or plot in New Town or another scheme, RTI can help you:

• Get details of your allotment file, application status, or cancellation order
• Understand why a plot or flat you applied for was allotted to another applicant
• Verify whether a specific plot in New Town has been allotted and to whom (to the extent this is public record)
• Ask for the lottery or selection process records for a scheme you participated in

File with the CPIO at WBHIDCO's office in Kolkata.

WBSEDCL — West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited

WBSEDCL (West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited) is the state electricity distribution company serving most of West Bengal outside Kolkata city. It is a state government public sector undertaking — second appeals go to the WBIC.

RTI with WBSEDCL is commonly used for:

• Disputed electricity bills: asking for the meter reading register, the basis of an estimated bill, the formula used to calculate a demand
• Connection-related delays: records of your application for a new connection, the status, and any pending inspection reports
• Transformer or infrastructure complaints: records of complaints received, the work order issued, and the current status

File with the CPIO at the relevant WBSEDCL Division or Circle office that covers your area.

Panchayat Bodies — BDO and Gram Panchayat

West Bengal has a strong three-tier panchayat system. The Block Development Officer (BDO) at the block level and the Gram Panchayat at the village level are both state government public authorities covered by the RTI Act. Second appeals go to the WBIC.

RTI at the panchayat level is extensively used for:

• MGNREGS / 100 Days' Work records: Job card records, muster rolls, wage disbursement records, works undertaken and completed. If wages were not paid, the muster roll will show whether attendance was recorded.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) or Banglar Bari: Beneficiary lists, selection criteria, funds released, construction progress records.
• Swachh Bharat Mission toilets: Whether a toilet was officially recorded as constructed at your address, and whether the incentive amount was disbursed.
• Ration card and PDS records: The District Supply Officer handles ration cards at the district level. Panchayat bodies have records of fair price shop allocations. If your ration card application was rejected or your entitlement was wrongly reduced, RTI to the District Supply Officer or BDO can produce the relevant records.

WBPCB — West Bengal Pollution Control Board

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) is the state pollution control authority. It is a state body — second appeals go to the WBIC.

RTI with WBPCB is useful if a factory, industrial unit, or large commercial establishment near you is causing pollution and you want to know: whether it holds a valid consent to operate (CTO) under the Air Act or Water Act, what conditions were attached to its consent, whether any complaint about it has been registered with WBPCB, and what action (if any) was taken on the complaint.

Critical Exceptions: CESC and DVC Are Not What They Seem

Two bodies that confuse West Bengal RTI filers significantly are CESC and DVC.

CESC — Not RTI-Applicable

CESC (Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation) supplies electricity to Kolkata city and some surrounding areas. Unlike WBSEDCL, CESC is a private company — it is not a government-owned or government-controlled public sector undertaking. CESC is listed on stock exchanges, and its ownership is private.

The RTI Act applies only to public authorities as defined in Section 2(h) of the Act — bodies owned, controlled, or substantially financed by the appropriate government. CESC does not meet this definition. You cannot file an RTI application against CESC. For billing disputes with CESC, the appropriate forum is the West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC) consumer grievance mechanism or the consumer forum — not RTI.

This is a common mistake. If your electricity is supplied by CESC (primarily Kolkata city), RTI is not the tool. If it is supplied by WBSEDCL (most of the rest of the state), RTI does apply.

DVC — Central Government, Not WBIC

The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is a statutory corporation created by the Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948 — a Central legislation passed by Parliament. DVC operates dams, power plants, and distribution systems across West Bengal and Jharkhand. Despite being physically located in West Bengal and serving West Bengal consumers in parts of the state, DVC is a Central Government public authority.

This means:

• RTI applications to DVC are filed on rtionline.gov.in (the Central Government portal)
• Second appeals go to the Central Information Commission (CIC) in Delhi — not the WBIC
• The RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005 (Central Government) apply, not the West Bengal RTI Rules

If you live in a DVC-served area and have a billing dispute or want records about DVC's operations, you are dealing with a Central Government body. Keep that distinction in mind.

Central Government Bodies in West Bengal — CIC, Not WBIC

Beyond DVC, there are several other Central Government bodies operating in West Bengal where RTI goes to the CIC, not the WBIC:

• Income Tax Department: Tax assessment and demand records, TDS records, refund status — file with the CPIO at the relevant Income Tax Commissioner's office; second appeal to CIC.
• Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway: Both are zonal railways under the Ministry of Railways, a Central Government body. RTI for railway-related matters — berth allotment, contractor records, station work orders — goes to the CPIO at the relevant Divisional Railway Manager's office; second appeal to CIC.
• EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation): Regional PF Commissioner's office in West Bengal — Central body; CIC on second appeal.
• ESIC (Employees' State Insurance Corporation): Regional ESIC office — Central body; CIC on second appeal.
• IIT Kharagpur: Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur is a Central Government autonomous institution under the Ministry of Education — Central body; RTI on rtionline.gov.in; CIC on second appeal.
• Central PSUs operating in West Bengal (Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries like BCCL or ECL, SAIL's plants, NTPC's stations): All Central public sector undertakings regardless of their physical location — CIC on second appeal.

Filing an RTI against any of these on a West Bengal state portal, or expecting the WBIC to handle the second appeal, will not work. The rule is simple: if the Parliament created it or the Central Government controls it, it is a Central body.

A Practical Step-by-Step: Filing an RTI About Your Khatian in West Bengal

Here is how a typical land record RTI looks from start to finish.

Scenario: You applied for mutation of LR Khatian after purchasing land in a block in Murshidabad district. Six months have passed. The BL&LRO office says it is "under process." You want to know the actual status and see any order or note on the file.

Step 1 — Identify the CPIO. The CPIO for land records at the block level is the BL&LRO (Block Land and Land Reforms Officer). Find the address of the BL&LRO office for your block.

Step 2 — Draft your RTI application. Be specific. Include:

• Your name and postal address
• The Mouza name, JL number, Dag number(s), and the LR Khatian number you applied to mutate
• The approximate date of your mutation application
• Any application reference number you received

Ask specifically:

1. Please provide a certified copy of the mutation application submitted on date for Dag number(s) X in Mouza Y, JL No. Z, Block A, District B.
2. Please provide the current status of this mutation application as on the date of this RTI.
3. If any order has been passed — approving, rejecting, or directing further inquiry — please provide a certified copy of that order.
4. If the application is pending, please state the reason for the delay and the name of the officer currently responsible for processing it.

Step 3 — Pay the fee. Check the current West Bengal RTI fee on the official government website. Attach the applicable fee instrument (court fee stamp, IPO, or as required under state rules).

Step 4 — Send by Speed Post. Address to the CPIO, BL&LRO Office, Block name, District. Keep the Speed Post receipt — the 30-day clock starts from the date the CPIO receives your application.

Step 5 — Follow up. If no response within 30 days (or an unsatisfactory response), file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority — typically the DLLRO (District Land and Land Reforms Officer) or Sub-Divisional Officer for land records matters. If still unresolved, file a Second Appeal with the West Bengal Information Commission.

Quick Reference: WB RTI Filings at a Glance

A Final Note on West Bengal Land RTIs

West Bengal's land records — particularly the RS-to-LR conversion history, bargadar records, and ceiling land distribution records — are among the most complex in the country, reflecting decades of land reform history. Mutations in West Bengal are also sometimes called PCR (Periodic Correction of Records), and the terminology can be confusing if you are used to the north Indian "Dakhil Kharij" framework.

The key principle remains the same: these are government records, maintained by government officers in the course of their duties, and the RTI Act gives every citizen the right to inspect or obtain certified copies of them within 30 days of asking. Banglarbhumi gives you a quick view; RTI gives you certified records that hold up in a dispute.

When in doubt about whether a West Bengal body is state or central, ask: was it created by a state law or a central law? Does the state government control it, or does a central ministry? The answer tells you which portal, which fee rules, and which Information Commission applies.

RTISathi.com helps Indian citizens draft RTI applications for Central Government and Delhi State bodies — and our guides on state RTI cover every major public authority you might need to approach. If you are filing an RTI in West Bengal, use this guide to identify the right authority and frame your questions precisely. The better your RTI, the less room there is for an unhelpful response.