This is Set 14 of 40 in the smartvidya question bank on the Right to Information Act, 2005 and RTI Rules, 2012, with the latest amendments. Part II: Right to information and obligations of public authorities. This set covers Notice to third party, representation, time limits, public interest test and appeal rights.
Try each question first, then tap Show answer to see the correct option, a short explanation and the section or rule reference. The questions are useful for departmental and promotion examinations, for PIOs and First Appellate Authorities, and for citizens who use the RTI Act.
Set 14: Section 11: Third Party Information
1. Section 11 applies where a PIO intends to disclose information which
(a) is older than twenty years
(b) relates to or has been supplied by a third party and has been treated as confidential by that third party
(c) relates to the PIO personally
(d) is already published
Ans. (b) relates to or has been supplied by a third party and has been treated as confidential by that third party — Explanation: Section 11(1) is triggered by intended disclosure of confidential third party information. [Ref: Section 11(1)]
2. Notice to the third party under Section 11(1) must be given within
(a) thirty days
(b) ten days
(c) forty days
(d) five days from the receipt of the request
Ans. (d) five days from the receipt of the request — Explanation: Section 11(1) prescribes five days. [Ref: Section 11(1)]
3. The third party may make a representation against the proposed disclosure within
(a) ten days from the date of receipt of the notice
(b) thirty days
(c) five days
(d) fifteen days
Ans. (a) ten days from the date of receipt of the notice — Explanation: Section 11(2) gives ten days for representation. [Ref: Section 11(2)]
4. In a third party case, the PIO must decide whether to disclose within
(a) thirty days
(b) forty days after receipt of the request
(c) forty-five days
(d) sixty days
Ans. (b) forty days after receipt of the request — Explanation: Section 11(3) fixes forty days. [Ref: Section 11(3)]
5. The notice under Section 11(1) must invite the third party to make a submission
(a) only through a lawyer
(b) only by e-mail
(c) only in person before the CIC
(d) in writing or orally regarding whether the information should be disclosed
Ans. (d) in writing or orally regarding whether the information should be disclosed — Explanation: Section 11(1) allows written or oral submissions. [Ref: Section 11(1)]
6. Except for trade or commercial secrets protected by law, disclosure of third party information may be allowed if
(a) public interest in disclosure outweighs any possible harm to the third party's interests
(b) the applicant pays more
(c) the third party does not reply
(d) the PIO likes
Ans. (a) public interest in disclosure outweighs any possible harm to the third party's interests — Explanation: The proviso to Section 11(1) contains a public interest test. [Ref: Section 11(1), proviso]
7. Trade or commercial secrets protected by law
(a) are covered by Section 24
(b) are excluded from the public interest balancing in the proviso to Section 11(1)
(c) must always be disclosed
(d) are not information
Ans. (b) are excluded from the public interest balancing in the proviso to Section 11(1) — Explanation: The proviso begins "except in the case of trade or commercial secrets protected by law". [Ref: Section 11(1), proviso]
8. After deciding to disclose, the PIO must give a written notice of the decision to the third party, stating that the third party is entitled to
(a) nothing further
(b) prefer an appeal under Section 19 against the decision
(c) file a civil suit only
(d) claim compensation
Ans. (b) prefer an appeal under Section 19 against the decision — Explanation: Section 11(4) requires informing the third party of the right of appeal. [Ref: Section 11(4)]
9. A third party can file an appeal against the PIO's order under Section 11 within
(a) ninety days
(b) five days
(c) thirty days from the date of the order, under Section 19(2)
(d) ten days
Ans. (c) thirty days from the date of the order, under Section 19(2) — Explanation: Section 19(2) provides a thirty-day appeal for third parties. [Ref: Section 19(2)]
10. The third party procedure under Section 11 must be followed when the information
(a) relates to any person
(b) is about a Government policy
(c) relates to or was supplied by a third party and the third party treated it as confidential
(d) is about a public work
Ans. (c) relates to or was supplied by a third party and the third party treated it as confidential — Explanation: Both conditions in Section 11(1) must be present. [Ref: Section 11(1)]
11. The PIO's decision under Section 11(3) must be made after
(a) considering the third party's submission
(b) hearing the applicant only
(c) taking legal opinion
(d) obtaining the CIC's approval
Ans. (a) considering the third party's submission — Explanation: Section 11(3) and Section 7(7) require consideration of the representation. [Ref: Sections 11(3) and 7(7)]
12. If the third party does not respond within ten days, the PIO
(a) must refer it to the CIC
(b) must wait indefinitely
(c) decides on the basis of available material within the forty-day limit
(d) must reject the request
Ans. (c) decides on the basis of available material within the forty-day limit — Explanation: The PIO must decide within forty days. [Ref: Section 11(3)]
13. A company's audited balance sheet submitted to a regulator and marked confidential is requested. The PIO should first
(a) refuse at once
(b) disclose at once
(c) transfer the request
(d) issue notice to the company under Section 11(1)
Ans. (d) issue notice to the company under Section 11(1) — Explanation: Confidential third party information triggers Section 11 of the Act. [Ref: Section 11(1)]
14. Section 11(1) refers to a notice to the third party where the request is made to a
(a) CPIO or SPIO
(b) Minister
(c) First Appellate Authority
(d) Commission
Ans. (a) CPIO or SPIO — Explanation: Section 11(1) applies to PIOs handling requests. [Ref: Section 11(1)]
15. Under Section 19(4), if the decision appealed against relates to third party information, the Commission must
(a) ignore the third party
(b) decide in favour of the third party
(c) give a reasonable opportunity of being heard to that third party
(d) transfer the appeal
Ans. (c) give a reasonable opportunity of being heard to that third party — Explanation: Section 19(4) protects the third party at the second appeal stage. [Ref: Section 19(4)]
16. The forty-day limit in Section 11(3) runs from
(a) issue of the notice
(b) receipt of the third party's reply
(c) payment of fees
(d) receipt of the request by the PIO
Ans. (d) receipt of the request by the PIO — Explanation: Section 11(3) counts forty days after receipt of the request. [Ref: Section 11(3)]
17. Which statement about the third party under the RTI Act is correct?
(a) The third party must be a company
(b) The third party must be the PIO
(c) The third party may be a person or a public authority other than the applicant
(d) The third party must be a foreigner
Ans. (c) The third party may be a person or a public authority other than the applicant — Explanation: Section 2(n) defines third party broadly. [Ref: Section 2(n)]
18. Consider: (i) Notice to third party within 5 days. (ii) Representation within 10 days. (iii) Decision within 40 days. Which are correct?
(a) (i), (ii) and (iii)
(b) Only (i) and (ii)
(c) Only (iii)
(d) Only (ii)
Ans. (a) (i), (ii) and (iii) — Explanation: Section 11(1), (2) and (3) prescribe these limits. [Ref: Section 11]
19. Section 11 aims mainly to
(a) delay RTI replies
(b) protect the PIO
(c) protect the legitimate interests of third parties before their confidential information is disclosed
(d) increase fees
Ans. (c) protect the legitimate interests of third parties before their confidential information is disclosed — Explanation: It gives third parties a chance to be heard. [Ref: Section 11]
20. When the PIO decides to withhold third party information, the applicant may
(a) file a first appeal under Section 19(1)
(b) approach the third party
(c) do nothing
(d) file a suit
Ans. (a) file a first appeal under Section 19(1) — Explanation: The applicant can appeal against the refusal. [Ref: Section 19(1)]
21. The notice of decision under Section 11(4) is given to
(a) the CIC
(b) the third party
(c) the media
(d) the Head of Department
Ans. (b) the third party — Explanation: Section 11(4) requires written notice to the third party. [Ref: Section 11(4)]
22. Section 11 applies equally to
(a) only State public authorities
(b) only courts
(c) only Central public authorities
(d) Central and State public authorities through CPIOs and SPIOs
Ans. (d) Central and State public authorities through CPIOs and SPIOs — Explanation: Section 11 refers to both CPIOs and SPIOs. [Ref: Section 11(1)]
23. Assertion (A): A third party must be heard before its confidential information is disclosed. Reason (R): Section 11 requires notice and consideration of its representation.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A — Explanation: Section 11 provides this procedure. [Ref: Section 11]
24. Which provision requires the PIO to consider a third party representation when deciding on disclosure?
(a) Section 6(3)
(b) Section 7(9)
(c) Section 10(1)
(d) Section 7(7)
Ans. (d) Section 7(7) — Explanation: Section 7(7) and Section 11(3) together require this. [Ref: Section 7(7)]
25. Third party information that is not confidential and relates to a public contract can
(a) be disclosed only after twenty years
(b) be disclosed without the Section 11 procedure, subject to exemptions
(c) be disclosed only by the CIC
(d) never be disclosed
Ans. (b) be disclosed without the Section 11 procedure, subject to exemptions — Explanation: Section 11 applies only to information treated as confidential by the third party. [Ref: Section 11(1)]
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These questions are prepared for practice from the Right to Information Act, 2005 as amended (including the 2019 amendment and the November 2025 change to Section 8(1)(j) made by the DPDP Act, 2023), the RTI Rules, 2012 and the 2019 Rules. Check the latest notifications and DoPT instructions before relying on any detail.