If you want to file an online Right to Information (RTI) application to the government of Maharashtra, be prepared to pay a little extra. A Nagpur-based doctor, Indrajit Khandekar, has raised concerns about the state portal charging anywhere between Rs 5 to Rs 10 more than the central government's portal for online RTI applications, just because it does not use the mandated State Bank of India (SBI) payment gateway.

Dr. Khandekar, a professor from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram, claims that while filing an RTI application online in Maharashtra, the applicant is charged more than the standard Rs 10 fee depending on which mode of payment they use. If they pick net banking, the Mahaonline payment gateway charges around Rs 21.80 and when one pays through debit card, there is a charge of Rs 15.90. The charge goes in the kitty of the Mahaonline company, which manages the portal on behalf of the state government.