RTI for Delhi Archives Historical Records

Delhi State Archives, housed at the Old Secretariat in Delhi, is the official custodial body for the historical administrative and revenue records of the Delhi Administration and the Government of NCT of Delhi. It is distinct from the National Archives of India — a Central Government institution under the Ministry of Culture that holds central government records. Delhi State Archives is a state public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, and is fully subject to the disclosure obligations of the Act.

The archive holds a remarkable range of historically significant documents spanning several centuries of Delhi's administrative history: pre-partition revenue settlement records, old land records and Khasra registers for Delhi villages, administrative orders of the Delhi Administration, departmental correspondence and files of GNCTD, municipal records, district administration records, and gazetteer material. For citizens, researchers, legal professionals, and families with roots in Delhi, this repository is an invaluable source of verified historical documentation — and the RTI Act is the most reliable legal tool to access it.

What Records Does Delhi State Archives Hold?

Delhi State Archives holds records across several broad categories, all of which are accessible through RTI subject to applicable exemptions under Section 8 of the RTI Act.

Historical Land and Revenue Records

The archive holds some of the most significant land-related historical records available for Delhi, including:

• Jamabandi (record of rights): Periodic revenue settlements recording the ownership and occupancy rights of landholders in Delhi villages. These are critical for establishing historical title in land disputes, verifying ancestral ownership, and understanding the chain of mutation in village land.
• Khasra registers: Survey-based records of individual land parcels in Delhi villages — the foundational document for any inquiry about a specific plot's historical classification, area, and occupancy.
• Revenue settlement reports: Detailed reports prepared by revenue settlement officers at the time of each settlement, describing the agrarian and land-holding structure of each tehsil and village in Delhi. These often contain descriptive narrative alongside statistical tables and are valuable for researchers.
• Mutation records (intqal): Entries recording transfers of land rights — by sale, inheritance, court order, or other means — across decades of Delhi's administrative history.

These records are especially valuable for citizens involved in property disputes, legal proceedings, or land acquisition matters where historical title needs to be established.

Pre-Partition Records

Delhi was the seat of the colonial government and a major administrative centre. Delhi State Archives holds a substantial volume of pre-1947 records of the Delhi Administration under British rule — including files from the Chief Commissioner of Delhi, district administration records, revenue and police files, and local body records from the old Municipal Committee of Delhi. For families researching property, business history, or genealogy connected to pre-partition Delhi, these records are often the only surviving official documentation.

Citizens can request:

• Pre-1947 revenue and land settlement records for specific villages or areas
• Administrative orders and correspondence of the pre-independence Delhi Administration
• Records of the old Municipal Committee of Delhi (predecessor to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi)
• District gazetteer entries and survey reports from the colonial period

Administrative Orders and Government Files

Delhi State Archives is the permanent repository for files and records transferred from departments of the GNCTD and its predecessor, the Delhi Administration. Citizens can request:

• Administrative orders and departmental circulars issued by GNCTD and Delhi Administration on specific subjects
• Files relating to specific policy decisions, land acquisition proceedings, or regularisation schemes
• Records transferred from Revenue Department, Home Department, Finance Department, and other departments of GNCTD
• Correspondence and order files from district administration offices in Delhi

These records are particularly useful when seeking the original basis for a policy decision, land notification, or administrative order that continues to affect rights or property today.

Genealogical Records

For Delhi residents with family roots in the city's historic villages and neighbourhoods, Delhi State Archives provides genealogical documentation that is difficult or impossible to obtain elsewhere. Revenue records listing ancestors as landholders, old Jamabandi entries naming family members as Bhumidhars or tenants, and historic administrative records mentioning family names in specific contexts can all be accessed through RTI. Citizens conducting genealogical research should provide as much identifying information as possible — village name, approximate period, and the ancestor's name — to help the SPIO locate the relevant file.

Digitisation Status and the Reading Room

Delhi State Archives has been working on digitising its holdings, but digitisation is partial and ongoing. Not all records are available in digital form, and for older or more specialised material, citizens may need to visit the archive reading room. An RTI application can serve a dual purpose here: it can request copies of specific documents directly, and it can also ask for the digitisation status of the relevant record category and the current procedure for accessing undigitised material in person. Understanding the access pathway — whether through the RTI mechanism or through the archive's standard researcher-access policy — is itself valuable information that the SPIO is obliged to provide.

Citizens wishing to visit the reading room for detailed research are advised to also ask, via RTI, for the current reader registration requirements, permissible hours of access, the fee structure for certified copies or photocopies, and any restrictions on access to specific categories of records under the RTI Act or conservation regulations.

Transfer of Records from Departments

A key function of Delhi State Archives is receiving records transferred from active departments of GNCTD once those records reach their prescribed retention threshold. This means that if you are seeking documents from a Delhi government department that are more than a few decades old, they may no longer be held by that department and may instead have been transferred to Delhi State Archives. In such cases, RTI filed with the SPIO of the originating department may result in a transfer of the application to Delhi State Archives under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act — or you can file directly with Delhi State Archives if you know or suspect that the relevant records have been archived.

How to File RTI with Delhi State Archives

Step 1: Identify the Records You Need

Before drafting your RTI, be as precise as possible about the records you are seeking. For land records, note the village name, tehsil, period, and Khasra or survey number. For administrative files, note the subject matter, approximate date range, and any order number or file reference you are aware of. Specificity greatly increases the quality and completeness of the response.

Step 2: Draft Your Application

Use the sample application provided above as the base. Tailor the information requests to your specific need — omitting queries that do not apply to your situation and adding any specific identifiers (file numbers, names, survey numbers) that will help the SPIO locate the records. Each query should be numbered and stand-alone.

Step 3: File Online

Delhi State Archives is a GNCTD state body. File your RTI application through the Delhi government RTI portal at rti.delhi.gov.in. The portal allows online filing and online payment of the ₹10 application fee. Alternatively, submit a physical application by registered post or in person to the SPIO, Delhi State Archives, Old Secretariat, Delhi – 110054. Pay the ₹10 fee by demand draft in favour of "GNCTD" or as directed by the portal. BPL cardholders are exempt from the fee; attach a copy of the BPL card.

Step 4: Track Your Application

The SPIO must respond within 30 days of receipt (Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005). For matters involving life or liberty, the deadline is 48 hours. Retain the acknowledgement or postal tracking reference as proof of filing.

Step 5: Appeals

If Delhi State Archives does not respond within 30 days, or the response is incomplete, incorrect, or an unjustified denial:

• First Appeal under Section 19(1): File with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) designated within Delhi State Archives or the relevant GNCTD department within 30 days of the date of the decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. No fee is required.
• Second Appeal under Section 19(3): If the FAA's response is also absent or unsatisfactory, file with the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) under Section 15 of the RTI Act within 90 days of the FAA's decision or the expiry of the FAA's response period. No fee is required. The DIC can direct the SPIO to furnish information and impose a penalty of ₹250 per day (up to ₹25,000) on the SPIO personally under Section 20 of the RTI Act.

Delhi State Archives vs. National Archives of India: Why the Distinction Matters

A common source of confusion is the distinction between Delhi State Archives and the National Archives of India (NAI). This distinction has direct practical consequences for RTI filing:

Filing an RTI for Delhi state records with the National Archives of India — or addressing a second appeal to the CIC instead of the DIC — will result in your application or appeal being returned as not maintainable or transferred. Always identify the correct body before filing.