Private banks like HDFC, ICICI, and Axis Bank are not public authorities under RTI. Which banks can be RTI'd directly?

Only nationalized banks (public sector banks) and SBI can be RTI'd directly as public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. These are: State Bank of India (SBI) and its associates; and the 12 nationalized banks — Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Bank of India, Indian Bank, Central Bank of India, UCO Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, and Bank of Maharashtra. Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) — which are sponsored by nationalized banks with partial government ownership — are also generally RTI-applicable. Private sector banks (HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak, IndusInd, etc.) are NOT public authorities under RTI. For complaints about private banks, the escalation path is: bank's internal grievance → Banking Ombudsman (RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme) → consumer forum. For information about how RBI regulates private banks, file RTI with RBI.

My home loan was rejected by SBI. Can RTI make the bank give me the specific reason?

Yes. Banks are not legally required to give a written reason for loan rejection in all cases, but as a public authority under RTI, SBI must disclose the basis of the rejection when asked. Through RTI, ask for: (1) the specific grounds on which the application was rejected — credit score, income-to-EMI ratio, property valuation shortfall, documentation issue, or policy restriction; (2) the credit score or CIBIL information that the bank relied upon; (3) the policy or circular under which applications for this loan type are evaluated. With this information, you can: correct factual errors (e.g., wrong credit report data, incorrect income calculation), address documentation gaps, or determine whether the rejection was based on a discriminatory or arbitrary criterion that can be challenged. Note that the bank is entitled to reject a loan application in the exercise of commercial judgment — RTI gives you the written reason, not an overriding of that judgment.

I repaid my home loan but SBI has not returned my property documents. What RTI questions help?

This is one of the most effective RTI use cases against nationalized banks. Ask: (1) whether Loan Account No. [XXX] shows as closed in the bank's records — the date of closure and whether a No Due Certificate (NDC) was issued; (2) the current location of the original title documents deposited for Loan A/c No. [XXX] — whether they are at the branch, the zonal office, or the central custody; (3) whether any instruction has been issued to the branch to return the documents and the name of the officer responsible for the return; (4) the prescribed timeline in the bank's Standard Operating Procedure for returning property documents after loan closure. The Supreme Court has held (in several consumer forum cases) that banks are obligated to return original documents promptly after loan closure, and delay attracts compensation. An RTI establishing that the loan is closed and documents are held without return is the foundation for a consumer forum complaint for the delay.

My bank has reported me as a defaulter to CIBIL, but I never defaulted. Can RTI get the reporting details?

Yes. Nationalized banks submit credit data to credit information companies (CIBIL, Experian, CRIF, Equifax) under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005. If you believe your bank has incorrectly reported you as a defaulter or NPA, RTI to the bank can confirm: (1) whether the bank has reported your account (Account No. [XXX]) as NPA, SMA, or under any default classification to any credit bureau — and the date, amount, and classification reported; (2) whether the bank's internal records show the account as NPA or as regular; (3) whether a notice was issued to you before NPA classification under RBI's IRAC (Income Recognition and Asset Classification) norms. If the bank's own records show the account as regular but it reported you as an NPA — this is a clear factual error that the bank must correct. File a correction request with the bank and simultaneously approach the credit bureau's dispute resolution mechanism.

What if the nationalized bank 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 (FAA) at the bank's Zonal Office or Corporate Centre within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. If the FAA's response is absent or unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days. All nationalized banks and SBI are Central Government public authorities — second appeal always goes to the CIC.

Home/Guides/How to File RTI with SBI or Nationalized Banks — Loan, Account and Service Complaints

Central Government

How to File RTI with SBI or Nationalized Banks — Loan, Account and Service Complaints

Step-by-step guide to file an RTI directly with State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, or other nationalized banks for loan rejection basis, mortgage documents not returned, wrong CIBIL/credit report entry reported by the bank, account nomination disputes, unclaimed deposits, and service charge disputes. Covers nationalized banks as public authorities under RTI. Includes a ready-to-use sample RTI draft.

Updated 24 May 2026

Quick Facts

MinistryMinistry of Finance

Address RTI ToCPIO of the relevant Branch / Zonal Office / Corporate Centre of the respective nationalized bank

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://rtionline.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).

State Bank of India (SBI) and India's 12 nationalized banks are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, because the Government of India holds a majority stake in each. This makes them directly RTI-applicable — unlike private sector banks (HDFC, ICICI, Axis, etc.) which are not.

For customers dealing with unexplained loan rejections, mortgage document disputes, wrong credit bureau reporting, dormant account issues, or service charge queries, RTI to the bank directly is often more effective than the bank's internal grievance mechanism.

List of Nationalized Banks (RTI-Applicable)

Bank	Ministry
State Bank of India (SBI)	Ministry of Finance
Bank of Baroda	Ministry of Finance
Punjab National Bank (PNB)	Ministry of Finance
Canara Bank	Ministry of Finance
Union Bank of India	Ministry of Finance
Bank of India	Ministry of Finance
Indian Bank	Ministry of Finance
Central Bank of India	Ministry of Finance
UCO Bank	Ministry of Finance
Indian Overseas Bank	Ministry of Finance
Punjab and Sind Bank	Ministry of Finance
Bank of Maharashtra	Ministry of Finance

Not RTI-applicable (private banks): HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank, Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank, Federal Bank, and others.

Common RTI Use Cases with Nationalized Banks

Issue	What RTI Can Establish
Loan rejection	Written reason — credit score, income ratio, property valuation, documentation
Mortgage documents not returned	Loan closure status and document custody location
Wrong CIBIL/NPA reporting	What was reported to credit bureaus and on what date
Service charges disputed	Circular or policy under which the charge was levied
FD matured, money not credited	FD status, maturity amount, whether transferred to DEAF
Nomination dispute	Registered nominee name and relationship
Cheque bounce charges	Schedule of charges applicable and RBI circular relied upon

Where to File

File on rtionline.gov.in:

Select Ministry of Finance → Bank Name
Choose the Zonal Office or Regional Office covering your branch (branch-level CPIOs exist at some banks; otherwise, the zonal office is the RTI authority)
Include your account number, loan account number, branch name and code
Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders are exempt
Submit and note your registration number

Some nationalized banks also have dedicated RTI cells — check the bank's website for the CPIO address if you prefer to file by post.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Loans:

Specific reason for rejection of loan application dated Date — criterion applied (CIBIL, income, valuation, documentation)
Status of Loan A/c No. XXX — whether closed; NDC issued date; location of original title documents
Current outstanding balance, EMI schedule, and payment history for Loan A/c No. XXX

Credit bureau reporting: 4. Whether the bank has reported Account / Loan No. XXX as NPA / defaulter to any credit bureau — date, amount, and classification 5. Bank's internal classification of Account No. XXX — regular, SMA-0, SMA-1, SMA-2, or NPA — as on date

Deposits and accounts: 6. Status of FD No. XXX / Savings A/c No. XXX — active, dormant, or transferred to DEAF; current balance; maturity amount 7. Nomination registered for Account No. XXX — nominee name and relationship

Service charges: 8. Schedule of charges applicable to account type for the period Month/Year and the RBI circular or bank policy under which each charge was levied

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the FAA at the bank's Zonal or Corporate Office 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 Central Information Commission (CIC) within 90 days. All nationalized banks and SBI are Central Government public authorities — second appeal is always CIC.

Sample RTI Application Draft

To,
The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO),
[Bank Name — e.g., State Bank of India],
[Zonal Office / Regional Office / Branch Address]

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Loan Rejection Basis / Mortgage Document Return / Credit Bureau Reporting / Account Dispute

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], account holder / loan applicant at [Bank Name], [Branch Name, Branch Code], submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to seek the following information:

Account / loan details:
  Account Number: [Account No.]
  Loan Account Number (if applicable): [Loan A/c No.]
  Loan Type: [Home Loan / Personal Loan / Education Loan / Vehicle Loan / MSME Loan / etc.]
  Branch Name and Code: [Name, Code]
  Customer ID / CIF: [If known]

Information sought:

1. [For loan rejection] The specific reason(s) for rejection of the loan application submitted on [DD/MM/YYYY] at [Branch Name] — including:
   (a) Whether the rejection was on account of CIBIL score / credit history, income insufficiency, property valuation, documentation deficiency, or any other criterion;
   (b) The CIBIL score or credit report information relied upon by the bank at the time of evaluation;
   (c) The name and designation of the sanctioning authority who decided the rejection.

2. [For mortgage / title deeds not returned] The current status of the original title documents / property papers deposited by [Name] for the loan account No. [XXX] — whether the loan has been closed, the No Due Certificate (NDC) issued, and whether the original documents have been returned. If not returned, the specific reason and the location where the documents are held.

3. [For credit bureau reporting] Whether [Bank Name] has reported [Name], Account No. [XXX] as NPA (Non-Performing Asset) or as a defaulter to CIBIL / Experian / CRIF / Equifax — if yes, the date and amount reported, the classification (SMA / NPA), and whether the correct details as per the bank's internal records were reported.

4. [For unclaimed deposits / matured FD] The current status of Fixed Deposit No. [XXX] / Savings Account No. [XXX] — whether the account is active, dormant, or transferred to RBI's Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEAF); the balance as of [date]; and the procedure to claim the matured amount.

5. [For service charges] The schedule of service charges applicable to [Savings / Current] Account, [Account No.], for the period [Month/Year] — specifically the basis on which [debit card fee / SMS alert charge / minimum balance penalty / other charge] was levied, the circular or Master Direction of RBI or internal policy under which the charge is permitted.

6. [For nomination] The nomination recorded against Savings / FD Account No. [XXX] as per the bank's records — the name and relationship of the nominee — and the procedure for the nominee to claim the account balance after the death of the account holder.

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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