RIGHT TO INFORMATION (RTI)
Access to information is not a privilege bestowed by the State—it is a fundamental constitutional right. The CSR RTI Research Team empowers citizens, journalists, and vulnerable communities to demand transparency, expose corruption, and enforce public accountability across Sri Lanka.
About CSR RTI Research Project
The Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) has pioneered grassroots advocacy and human rights defense in Sri Lanka for over five decades. Following the historic enactment of the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016, CSR established the dedicated RTI Research Team to transform legal rights on paper into potent instruments of public accountability.
Our mission is twofold: conduct in-depth investigative audits into public spending, human rights compliance, and executive decisions, while simultaneously equipping ordinary citizens, rural farmers, estate workers, and investigative journalists with the knowledge and legal guidance needed to question state institutions fearlessly.
Democracy & Law
Enforcing institutional compliance with statutory disclosure obligations.
Public Audits
Tracking state tenders, health supplies, and security budgets systematically.
Citizen Clinics
Free legal support and drafting assistance for community RTI filings.
Appeals Advocacy
Litigating refusal appeals before the Right to Information Commission.
Landmark RTI Inquiries & Revelations
Key public revelations secured through persistent Right to Information filings and appeals by the CSR RTI Research Team.
මාස 6ට කඳුළුගැස් උණ්ඩ 456 බෝම්බ 148 ක් පාවිච්චි කරලා
In response to CSR's RTI inquiries, official police logs revealed the procurement and discharge of 456 tear gas shells and 148 tear gas grenades in just six months, uncovering contradictory official statements regarding shelf-life expired canisters.
එක රටක් එක නීතියක් වාර්තාව මුදා හැරේ
Following prolonged delays and initial refusal, CSR successfully petitioned the RTI Commission to declassify the complete report of the Presidential Task Force on 'One Country, One Law', making it accessible to researchers and the public.
ගැලනිගම සිදුවීම දවසේ වාර්තා සහ තොරතුරු හෙළිදරව්ව
Comprehensive RTI inquiries brought to light official internal log entries and statements regarding the release of a suspicious lorry at Galanigama expressway checkpoint on the day of heightened security alerts.
ආයතන 467කින් 78කට වෙබ් අඩවි නෑ: ඩිජිටල් විනිවිදභාවය
CSR audited 467 government ministries, departments, and statutory bodies, uncovering that 78 institutions maintain no web presence, in direct violation of statutory proactive disclosure requirements under Section 8 of the RTI Act.
තොරතුරු ඉල්ලීම් 71ක් ඇසුරෙන් පොදු අධිකාරීන්ගේ ප්‍රායෝගික හැසිරීම
A pioneering field study analyzing bureaucratic delays, unlawful fee demands, and arbitrary exemptions across 71 Public Authorities, published to guide legislative reforms and empower grassroots petitioners.
ප්‍රාදේශීය සභා සහ නගර සභා අයවැය වෙන්කිරීම් අධීක්ෂණය
Supporting citizen forums in Badulla, Monaragala, and Vavuniya to obtain local council expenditure registers, ensuring municipal tax allocations reach rural roads, water sanitation, and community healthcare.
Official RTI Application Forms & Statutes
Download official forms prescribed under the Right to Information Act to submit your information requests and legal appeals.
තොරතුරු ඉල්ලුම් පත්‍රය
Primary information request application submitted to the Public Authority's Information Officer (IO).
පළමු අභියාචනය
First stage appeal to the Designated Officer (DO) if information was denied, delayed, or charged excessive fees.
කොමිෂන් සභාවට අභියාචනය
Formal appeal to the independent Right to Information Commission against a Designated Officer's refusal.
පනත සහ ගැසට් නිවේදන
Full statutory text of the RTI Act No. 12 of 2016, gazetted rules, and fee schedules in Sinhala, Tamil & English.
How to Exercise Your Right to Information
Follow these four straightforward steps to obtain official documents, expenditure accounts, and public decisions.
Identify the Authority
Determine which Public Authority (Ministry, Council, Hospital, Police Station) possesses the records you seek.
Draft & Submit RTI 01
Clearly state the records requested using Form RTI 01 or a simple letter addressed to the Information Officer (IO).
14-Day Mandatory Reply
By law, the authority must acknowledge within 14 working days and provide access or cite a valid statutory exemption.
Exercise Free Appeal
If denied or unanswered, submit Form RTI 02 to the Designated Officer, and subsequently appeal to the RTI Commission.
මාස 6ට කඳුළුගැස් උණ්ඩ 456 බෝම්බ 148 ක් පාවිච්චි කරලා
Recent Investigation
එක රටක් එක නීතියක් වාර්තාව මුදා හැරේ
Verified Filing
ගැලනිගම සිදුවීම දවසේ වාර්තා හෙළිදරව්ව
Verified Filing
ආයතන 467කින් 78කට වෙබ් අඩවි නෑ: විමර්ශනය
Verified Filing
තොරතුරු ඉල්ලීම් 71ක් ඇසුරෙන් පර්යේෂණ වාර්තාව
Verified Filing
CSR RTI Citizen Assistance Desk
Are you a citizen, community organizer, or journalist facing an unjustified refusal or excessive fee demand from a Public Authority? Our RTI legal advisors provide free consultation and drafting assistance for your applications and appeals.
Visit Our Dedicated Portal
Explore complete court documents, commission rulings, video tutorials, and interactive tools on CSR's specialized RTI web portal.
Launch rticsr.info Portal