Central Information Commission
Amit Malik vs Petroleum And Natural Gas Regulatory ... on 13 March, 2026
केन्द्रीय सूचना आयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबा गंगनाथ मागग, मुननरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नई निल्ली, New Delhi - 110067
File No: CIC/PNGRB/A/2025/620624
Amit Malik .....अपीलकर्ाग /Appellant
VERSUS
बनाम
CPIO : Petroleum and Natural Gas ....प्रनर्वािीगण /Respondent
Regulatory Board (PNGRB) E 400
Fourth Floor Tower E Nbcc World
Trader Centre Nauroji Nagar New
Delhi 110029.
Date of Hearing : 12-03-2026
Date of Decision : 12-03-2026
INFORMATION COMMISSIONER : Khushwant Singh Sethi
Relevant facts emerging from appeal:
RTI application filed on : 04-02-2025
CPIO replied on : 12-03-2025
First appeal filed on : 18-03-2025
First Appellate Authority's order : 17-04-2025
2nd Appeal dated : 01-05-2025
CIC/PNGRB/A/2025/620624 Page 1 of 7
Information sought:
1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 04-02-2025 seeking the following information:
"अनुरोधित जानकारी का वििरणः A. गैस कनेक्शन की िैिता एिं वििरणः
(i) मकान संख्या 2507 से 2532 तक प्रत्येक िाणणज्ययक प्रततष्ठान के IGL गैस कनेक्शन का वििरणः कनेक्शन संख्या, स्िीकृतत ततधि, संबंधित NOC (अज्ननशमन, MCD, दिल्ली पुललस)। क्या यह जानकारी PNGRB/IGL की िेबसाइट पर उपलब्ि है? यदि नहीं, तो िारा 4 (1) (b) के उल्लंघन का कारण बताएँ।
(ii) वपछले 5 िर्षों (2019-2024) में इस क्षेत्र में IGL द्िारा रद्ि/तनलंबबत ककए गए कनेक्शनों की सूची एिं संबंधित आिे शों की प्रततयाँ।
B. सुरक्षा तनरीक्षण एिं उल्लंघनः
(i) 2019 से 2024 के बीच ककए गए िावर्षिक सुरक्षा ऑडिट ररपोटि :
तनरीक्षण ततधि, टीम लीिर का नाम, उल्लंघनों का वििरण। िारा 17 के तहत IGL को जारी चेतािनी/जुमािने का वििरण।
(ii) वपछले 3 िर्षों (2021-2024) में गैस लीक/आगजनी की घटनाओं से संबंधित FIR एिं IGL की आंतररक जाँच ररपोटि ।
c. नए कनेक्शनों में पारिलशिताः
(i) 2022-2024 के िौरान इस क्षेत्र में प्राप्त िाणणज्ययक गैस कनेक्शन आिेिनों की संख्या: स्िीकृत/अस्िीकृत आिेिनों की सूची एिं कारण। आिेिकों द्िारा प्रस्तुत भू-
उपयोग प्रमाणपत्र (िाणणज्ययक /आिासीय) की प्रततयाँ।"
2. The CPIO furnished a reply to the Appellant on 12-03-2025 stating as under:CIC/PNGRB/A/2025/620624 Page 2 of 7
"With reference to your online RTI registration no. PNGRB/R/P/25/00006 dated 10/02/2025 regarding information sought from IGL. In this regard, please be informed that the matter of applicability of the RTI act on IGL is sub-judice before the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi. As of now, the provisions of the RTI act, 2005 does not apply to IGL."
3. Being dissatisfied, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 18-03-2025. The FAA vide its order dated 17-04-2025, upheld the reply given by the CPIO.
4. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied, Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.
Relevant Facts emerged during Hearing:
The following were present:-
Appellant: Attended the hearing in person.
Respondent: 1. Mr. Manush Kumar, Assistant Director, on behalf of PNGRB, attended the hearing in person.
2. Mr. Akshay Goyal, Senior Manager along with Mr. Vishweshwar Mishra, Consultant (Legal), on behalf of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), attended the hearing in person.
5. The Appellant stated that he sought details of IGL gas connections for each commercial establishment in House Nos. 2507 to 2532: connection number, approval date, relevant NOC (Fire, MCD, Delhi Police etc. The appellant submitted that the respondent vide letter dated 12.03.2205 informed him that CIC/PNGRB/A/2025/620624 Page 3 of 7 the applicability RTI Act on IGL is pending in Hon'ble Delhi High Court. The appellant alleged that the respondent had not provided the case number, case title etc. pertaining to the aforesaid case.
6. The Respondent PNGRB submitted that they had provided the reply submitted by IGL to the appellant vide letter dated 12.03.2025.
7. The respondent on behalf of IGL submitted that the mater pertaining to applicability of the RTI Act on IGL is pending in Hon'ble Delhi High Court.
8. The Commission queried the respondent IGL to confirm the case number, title of the pending case in Hon'ble Delhi High Court. To this, the respondent submitted the case details as W.P(C) No. 6759/2007 titled Indraprastha Gas Limited v. Central Information Commission. The respondent also handed over a copy of the pending case details to the appellant physically during the hearing. The respondent further submitted that vide order dated 14.09.2007, the Hon'ble High Court had granted stay order against the Commission's order that had declared IGL as a public authority under the RTI Act.
9. Written submission dated 10.03.2026 filed by the respondent PNGRB is taken on record and relevant portion of the same is reproduced below:
"2. In pursuance of the RTI application filed by Shri Amit Malik dated 04.02.2025 (Annexure I) and in reference to the ibid communication CIC/PNGRB/A/2025/620624 Page 4 of 7 from the Hon'ble CIC, inputs were sought from IGL vide email dated 26.02.2026. The inputs received from IGL vide emails dated 02.03.2026 and 10.03.2026 are enclosed herewith (Annexure II). In its reply, IGL has submitted as under:
Quote Indraprastha Gas Limited is not a Government Company under Section 2(45) of the Companies Act, 2013 since because government ownership is less than the required 51% holding as required under the Act. Further, In W.P.(C) 6759/2007 Indraprastha Gas Limited v. Central Information Commission, IGL has challenged CIC's order that it is a "public authority" under RTI and Hon'ble Delhi High Court was pleased to grant a stay on 14.09.2007 against the CIC order that had declared IGL a public authority under the RTI Act. The next date of hearing in the writ petition is 20.03.2026. Hence, the RTI Act does not apply to it while the matter remains sub-judice.
It is also informed that in terms of the order passed by Hon'ble Central Information Commission dated August 11, 2017, it was held that Indraprastha Gas Limited will provide information to PNGRB, concerning the processing of individual cases of gas connections etc., if required by the PNGRB to do so.
Unquote
4. With reference to the aforesaid information sought, it is hereby appraised that the said information is neither held with this office, nor the same pertain to PNGRB. The reply received from IGL was already communicated to the Complainant vide letter CIC/PNGRB/A/2025/620624 Page 5 of 7 PNGRB/Monitoring/8/RTI/(1)/2025/2040/24-25/265 dated 12th March, 2025 (Annexure III)."
Decision:
9. The Commission, after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing both the parties and perusal of the records, observes that, the respondent PNGRB vide written submission dated 10.03.2026 had submitted that the sought information is not held by them. Also, the applicability of RTI Act, 2005 to IGL is pending before the Hon'ble Delhi High Court in W.P (C). No. 6759/2007. Hence, the respondent PNGRB is directed to provide a revised reply to the appellant, with an explicit statement that the sought information is not held by them, and also incorporating the case number, case title etc. pending in Hon'ble Delhi High Court regarding the applicability of RTI Act, 2005 on IGL. The respondent shall provide the aforesaid revised reply to the appellant, within 15 days from the date of receipt of this order under intimation to the Commission
- both through post and via uploading on http://dsscic.nic.in/online-link-paper-
compliance/add. Accordingly, the appeal is disposed of.
Copy of the decision be provided free of cost to the parties.
(Khushwant Singh Sethi) (खुशवन्त स िंह ेठी) Information Commissioner ( ूचना आयुक्त) निनां क/Date: 12.03.2026 CIC/PNGRB/A/2025/620624 Page 6 of 7 Authenticated true copy S. K. Chitkara (एस. के. नचटकारा) Dy. Registrar (उप-पंजीयक) 011-26107026 Copy To:
1. The CPIO Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), E 400, Fourth Floor Tower E, NBCC World Trader Centre, Nauroji Nagar, New Delhi 110029.
2. The FAA, Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), E 400, Fourth Floor Tower E, NBCC World Trader Centre, Nauroji Nagar, New Delhi 110029.
3. Amit Malik CIC/PNGRB/A/2025/620624 Page 7 of 7 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
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