Are courts public authorities under RTI? Can I get a judgment copy through RTI instead of the certified copy process?

Yes. High Courts are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005. The Supreme Court confirmed this in its own RTI policy. The Delhi High Court has a designated CPIO and an RTI mechanism. However, there is an important practical distinction: for certified copies of judgments and orders for use in legal proceedings, the court's standard certified copy procedure (filing a copy application through the Registry) is the correct and faster route — it produces a certified copy with the court seal, which is required for court filings and other official purposes. RTI to the High Court can provide an authenticated copy of a judgment or order, but it may not have the court's certification seal. For research purposes, non-commercial use, or when the Registry is not responding, RTI is an effective alternative. For use in legal proceedings, use the Registry's certified copy mechanism.

My case in the Delhi High Court has not been listed for two years. Can RTI help?

RTI to the Delhi High Court can provide: (1) the current status of Case No. [XXX] — whether it is on the board, not yet listed, or pending assignment; (2) the last date on which the case was heard and what direction (if any) was given; (3) the procedure for requesting an urgent listing and the contact office for such requests. Note: RTI cannot compel the court to list a case — that is a judicial function. However, the RTI response may reveal whether the delay is administrative (case not yet assigned to a bench, a deficiency in the court file) versus judicial (genuinely waiting in queue). Administrative causes of delay can be addressed through a representation to the Registry; judicial queuing requires a mention or an urgency application before the bench.

Can I get information about a judge's conduct or a complaint against a judge through RTI with the Delhi High Court?

No. The conduct of judges — complaints, in-house proceedings, and disciplinary matters — is protected from RTI disclosure. The Supreme Court's Constitution Bench in S.P. Gupta v. Union of India and subsequent RTI case law have established that correspondence between the Chief Justice and the government regarding judicial appointments, transfers, and disciplinary matters is not accessible under RTI. The In-House Procedure for complaints against judges is confidential. RTI to the Delhi High Court can provide administrative/institutional information (pendency statistics, court rules, fee structure) and judicial records (judgments and orders of concluded cases), but not information about complaints against individual judges or the internal deliberations of judicial appointment processes.

What is the difference between filing RTI with the Delhi High Court versus the Delhi government?

The Delhi High Court is an independent judicial institution — it is not a department of the Delhi government (GNCTD) or the Central Government. The High Court has its own RTI mechanism under its CPIO. The Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court is the first appellate authority, and the second appeal lies with the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) — though there is some jurisprudence on whether the DIC has jurisdiction over constitutional courts. Practically, file RTI with the Delhi High Court's CPIO for: court administrative records, certified copies of judgments/orders, pendency statistics, court rules, and fee schedules. File RTI with GNCTD departments for matters like the Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) schemes, Lok Adalat, and state government legal aid. For Supreme Court records, file with the Supreme Court's own CPIO.

What if the Delhi High Court does not respond to my RTI within 30 days?

File a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act with the First Appellate Authority at the Delhi High Court (typically the Chief Justice's office or a designated FAA) within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. The second appeal route is less settled for constitutional courts — the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) has claimed jurisdiction under Section 19(3) for Delhi High Court RTI matters, while the High Court has sometimes contested this. As a practical matter, file the second appeal with the DIC within 90 days; the DIC's notices to the High Court have generally been complied with.

Home/Guides/How to File RTI with Delhi High Court for Certified Copies, Case Listing and Judicial Records

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How to File RTI with Delhi High Court for Certified Copies, Case Listing and Judicial Records

Step-by-step guide to file an RTI with the Delhi High Court for certified copies of judgments and orders, cause list information, case status, pendency data, and court administrative information. Explains what judicial records are accessible under RTI and how they differ from the court's own certified copy procedure. Includes a ready-to-use sample RTI draft.

Updated 24 May 2026

Quick Facts

MinistryGovernment of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) / Independent Constitutional / Judicial Body

Address RTI ToCPIO, High Court of Delhi, Shershah Road, New Delhi – 110503

Application Fee₹10 under RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. Free for BPL cardholders.

Response Time30 days from receipt (Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005). 48 hours if the matter involves life or liberty.

File Online Athttps://rti.delhi.gov.in

All information on this page is based on the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) and the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. First Appeal: Section 19(1). Second Appeal to CIC/SIC: Section 19(3).

The Delhi High Court (High Court of Delhi) is a constitutional court established under Article 214 of the Constitution of India with jurisdiction over the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Haryana (until 1966, now a separate High Court). It is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, with a designated CPIO and RTI mechanism.

RTI to the Delhi High Court is most useful for obtaining judicial records (judgments and orders of concluded cases), administrative records (court rules, fee schedules, pendency statistics), and case status information — though the court's own case status portal (dhcapas.nic.in) covers the latter for most purposes.

RTI vs. Certified Copy Process: Which to Use

Purpose	Better Route
Certified copy for use in court / official proceedings	Registry's certified copy application (certified copy with seal)
Copy of judgment for research / personal reference	RTI or download from DHC website (judis.nic.in / dhcapas.nic.in)
Registry not responding to certified copy request	RTI (creates a formal obligation to respond within 30 days)
Pendency statistics / court administrative data	RTI (this data is not available through the copy process)
Court fee schedules and applicable rules	RTI or court website
Complaint about case not being listed	RTI (establishes the administrative record; then a representation to the Registry)

What the Delhi High Court Can Provide Through RTI

Can provide:

Copies of judgments and orders in concluded cases (these are public judicial records)
Cause list / case listing status — when a case is next listed and before which bench
Pendency statistics — number of cases pending, average disposal time by category
Court fees, rules, and practice directions applicable to various proceedings
Registry procedures — how to file, fee rates, requisite forms

Typically not provided:

Internal judicial deliberations, conference notes, or draft judgments — Section 8(1)(e)
Correspondence between judges on judicial appointment/transfer — established by Supreme Court jurisprudence
Complaints against individual judges — In-House Procedure is confidential
Details of matters sub judice where disclosure could influence proceedings — Section 8(1)(b)

Case Status: Check Online First

Before filing RTI for case status, check:

dhcapas.nic.in — Delhi High Court case status portal (search by case number, party name, or advocate)
judis.nic.in — Supreme Court and High Court judgments database
ecourts.gov.in — National e-Courts services portal

RTI is most valuable when online records are incomplete, when you need an official written statement of the case status, or when you are asking for administrative data (pendency, disposal rates) not shown in case-level portals.

Where to File

File at rti.delhi.gov.in and select High Court of Delhi — or file a written application directly to the CPIO at the court's Registry. The court also accepts RTI applications at its RTI cell.

Include the case number, party names, and specific records sought
Pay ₹10 online or by demand draft/postal order. BPL cardholders are exempt
Submit and note your registration number

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Judgments and orders:

Copy of the judgment / final order dated DD/MM/YYYY in Case No. XXX (Petitioner v. Respondent)
Copy of the order dated DD/MM/YYYY disposing / issuing notice in Case No. XXX

Case listing: 3. Current listing status of Case No. XXX — next date of hearing and before which bench 4. Last date on which Case No. XXX was heard and the direction given, if any

Administrative and pendency data: 5. Number of writ petitions (civil) pending in the Delhi High Court as on date and average disposal time in the last three years 6. Number of cases pending for more than 10 years — categorywise — and the steps taken to address long-pending cases

Court procedures and fees: 7. Prescribed court fee for filing type of petition/application under the Court Fees Act / Delhi High Court Rules 8. Current practice direction or administrative circular governing urgent listing / mentioning / vacation bench procedure

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the First Appellate Authority at the Delhi High Court within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): File with the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) within 90 days. Note: there is ongoing jurisprudence on DIC's jurisdiction over High Courts, but practically the DIC processes these appeals and courts generally comply.

Sample RTI Application Draft

To,
The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO),
High Court of Delhi,
Shershah Road, New Delhi – 110503

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Certified Copy / Case Information / Court Administrative Records

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], residing at [Your Full Address], submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to seek the following information:

Case details (if asking about a specific case):
  Case Number: [W.P.(C) / CRL.M.C. / CS(COMM) / FAO / RCA / etc. — Number / Year]
  Parties: [Petitioner/Plaintiff Name v. Respondent/Defendant Name]
  Date of Judgment / Order (if known): [DD/MM/YYYY]
  Subject Matter: [Brief description]

Information sought:

1. [For certified copy of judgment/order] A copy of the judgment / order passed on [DD/MM/YYYY] in Case No. [XXX] — [Petitioner v. Respondent]. [Note: If the matter is sub judice and the order sought is a final judgment of a concluded case, it is a public judicial record and should be provided. If the case is ongoing, the order is available on the DHC website but an RTI can seek an official copy.]

2. [For case status / listing information] The current listing status of Case No. [XXX] — the date on which it was last listed, the next date of hearing, and whether the case is pending before a Division Bench or a Single Bench.

3. [For administrative information] The average time taken by the Delhi High Court to dispose of cases in the category of [Writ Petitions (Civil) / criminal revision / first appeals in civil matters / etc.] in the last three financial years, and the number of cases pending in this category as on the last reported date.

4. [For court fee / administrative matters] The prescribed court fee under the Delhi High Court (Amendment) Rules / Court Fees Act for filing [a specific type of petition / appeal / application] in the Delhi High Court.

5. [For pendency and listing complaints] The number of cases in the Delhi High Court that have been pending for more than 10 years, categorywise, and the measures taken by the Court administration to reduce long-pending cases.

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 [via online payment; Reference No.: [Payment Ref]].

I request the above information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Complete Address]
Phone: [Your 10-digit Mobile Number]
Email: [[email protected]]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Replace all text in [square brackets] with your actual details before filing. Do not include the brackets in your submission.

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