How to File RTI with Delhi District Courts or DSLSA — Judgment Copy, Legal Aid and Lok Adalat

Delhi has eleven district courts — Saket, Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Karkardooma, Dwarka, Rohini, and others — each serving a district of the National Capital Territory. They handle the bulk of civil litigation (suits, matrimonial petitions, rent cases), criminal cases (sessions trials, magistrate courts), and summary proceedings for Delhi residents. The Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA), constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, provides free legal aid to eligible persons through its headquarters at Patiala House and through District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) embedded in each district court complex.

Both Delhi District Courts and the DSLSA/DLSAs are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005. RTI can be used to obtain judicial records (judgments and orders), administrative data (case pendency statistics, court fee schedules), and legal aid information (application status, lawyer assignment, Lok Adalat awards) that citizens often struggle to access through informal enquiry.

Check the eCourts Portal Before Filing RTI

Before filing an RTI for case status, check ecourts.gov.in — the National e-Courts portal maintained by the Supreme Court's e-Committee. It covers all district and subordinate courts in Delhi and allows searching by:

• Case number (case type + number + year)
• Party name
• Advocate name
• FIR number (for criminal matters)

The portal typically shows the last date of hearing, the next date, the stage of the case, and interim orders. Use RTI for case status only when the eCourts portal shows incorrect or outdated information, or when you need an official written record for a complaint, escalation, or formal proceeding.

RTI is best suited for:

• Judgment copies — when the eCourts portal does not provide a downloadable copy and the Registry process is slow
• Administrative data — pendency statistics, court fee schedules, disposal averages
• Legal aid status — whether your DLSA application was processed, a lawyer assigned, or a complaint acted upon
• Lok Adalat awards — to obtain a copy of an award for enforcement

District Courts vs. DSLSA vs. Delhi High Court

All of these are Delhi State bodies — second appeal in all cases is the DIC, not the CIC.

Common RTI Use Cases

Where to File

File at rti.delhi.gov.in — this is the Delhi government RTI portal and the correct filing portal for all Delhi district courts and for DSLSA/DLSAs.

Do not file on rtionline.gov.in — that portal is for Central Government bodies only.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to rti.delhi.gov.in and select "File RTI Application"
2. Select the correct public authority:
   • For a district court: select the relevant District Court (e.g., "Saket District Court" or "Office of Principal District and Sessions Judge, South")
   • For DLSA: select the DLSA for the relevant district
   • For DSLSA: select "Delhi State Legal Services Authority"
3. Draft your questions — for court RTI, include case number, parties, and date of judgment; for DLSA RTI, include your application number or Lok Adalat date
4. Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders (submit a copy of BPL card) are exempt from the fee
5. Submit and save the acknowledgement number for tracking

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

From District Courts:

1. A copy of the judgment / final order dated DD/MM/YYYY in Case No. XXX (Plaintiff v. Defendant) at district District Court — specify if you need a plain copy (for reference) or a certified copy (for official use; note: certified copies for court filings are best obtained through the Registry's copy application process)
2. Confirmation of the last date of hearing in Case No. XXX and the next date of hearing per the court's own records, if the eCourts portal is showing incorrect information
3. The court fee schedule applicable for filing: (a) a civil suit for recovery; (b) a matrimonial petition; (c) a consumer complaint; (d) a bail application in sessions
4. The total number of civil and criminal cases pending before district District Court as on the latest available date and the average disposal time for each category in the last three years
5. Number of cases pending more than five years at district District Court, categorywise

From DLSA / DSLSA:

6. Current status of legal aid application No. XXX submitted on date — approved, pending, or rejected; if rejected, the reason
7. Name, enrolment number, and contact information of the panel advocate assigned to Applicant Name under Legal Aid Application No. XXX for Case No. XXX
8. Whether Case No. XXX between Party A and Party B was taken up at the Lok Adalat held on date at district/DSLSA — whether an award was passed and, if so, the award reference number and terms of the award
9. Record of any complaint filed with DLSA/DSLSA regarding the conduct or non-appearance of panel advocate Name in connection with Legal Aid Application No. XXX — whether registered and action taken
10. Current income ceiling and list of categories of persons entitled to legal aid regardless of income, as applied by DLSA/DSLSA

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) — at the district court, this is typically the Principal District and Sessions Judge or a designated officer; at the DSLSA/DLSA, it is the designated FAA. File within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): If the First Appeal is not decided within 30 days or the response is unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) — established under Section 15 of the RTI Act, 2005 — within 90 days. Delhi District Courts and DSLSA/DLSAs are Delhi State bodies; the second appeal is always to the DIC, not the CIC. The DIC may impose a penalty of ₹250 per day (up to ₹25,000) under Section 20 of the RTI Act on the PIO for failure to furnish information without reasonable cause.