Central Information Commission
Y S V Prasda Rao vs Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited ... on 14 May, 2026
केन्द्रीय सूचना आयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबा गंगनाथ मागग, मुननरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नई निल्ली, New Delhi - 110067
File No: CIC/BPCLD/A/2025/641460
Y. S. V. Prasda Rao .....अपीलकर्ाग/Appellant
VERSUS
बनाम
CPIO : BPCL, LPG - HQ, Bharat ....प्रनर्वािीगण
Bhavan, 4 & 6. Currimbhoy Road, /Respondent
Ballard Estate, P.B.No. 688, Mumbai-
400001.
Date of Hearing : 14-05-2026
Date of Decision : 14-05-2026
INFORMATION COMMISSIONER : Khushwant Singh Sethi
Relevant facts emerging from appeal:
RTI application filed on : 25-04-2025
CPIO replied on : 25-05-2025
First appeal filed on : 27-06-2025
First Appellate Authority's : 08-07-2025
order
2nd Appeal dated : 04-09-2025
Information sought:
1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 25-04-2025 seeking the following information:
"(1) Kindly furnish the total number of LPG consumers both domestic and commercial as on date with BPCL..CIC/BPCLD/A/2025/641460 Page 1 of 5
(2) To How many LPG consumers both domestic and commercial as on date, the BPCL is sending the following two SMs on their mobile numbers for the convenience of consumers.
(2a) Dear customer, our system has initiated LPG refill booking for you. Your Bharatgas cylinder may be empty. To stop booking, pl press (Wednesday 16 April 2025) (2b) Share delivery code 484031 with Bharatgas Executive for LPG cylinder delivery. To book LPG & pay online download HelloBPCL (Friday 25 April 2025)"
2. The CPIO furnished a reply to the Appellant on 25-05-2025 stating as under:
"Reply - BPCL has introduced a customer centric initiative of Booking Against SMS (BAS) option for refill booking. In this facility, the cylinder refill is auto booked, based on their consumption pattern. The customer receives an SMS and they have an option to cancel the booking before the delivery. The customer also has an option to unsubscribe from the BAS booking system. In this system, customer gets an SMS as booking confirmation done by the BAS system and in case they accept the refill delivery, they get another SMS as delivery confirmation.
Since BAS is a marketing initiative of BPCL, the quantitative details sought in the RTI are related to our marketing strategy and of commercial confidence. The disclosure of the same can harm the competitive position of BPCL and hence denied as per 8(1) d of the RTI act 2005."
3. Being dissatisfied, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 27-06-2025. The FAA vide its order dated 08-07-2025, upheld the reply given by the CPIO.
CIC/BPCLD/A/2025/641460 Page 2 of 54. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied, Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.
Relevant Facts emerged during Hearing:
The following were present:-
Appellant: Absent.
Respondent: Mr. Amit Gunjan, Chief Manager, attended the hearing through video conference.
5. The Respondent submitted, that the appellant sought information regarding the total number of LPG consumers - both domestic and commercial, as on date with BPCL; the number of LPG consumers to whom the BPCL is sending the Boking against SMS (BAS) on their mobile numbers, for their convenience. The respondent submitted, that they had provided the numerical value of total number of LPG consumers against point no.1. However, the sought information in point no.2 was denied U/s 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act.
6. The Commission queried the respondent, as to whether they send the said BAS SMS to all their consumers. To this, the respondent submitted, that the BAS SMS is not sent to all the consumers. There is a marketing strategy/pattern being used by their department to send this SMS to few consumers. Hence, disclosing the sought information in point no.2 would affect their competitive position.
7. Written submission dated 07.05.2026 filed by the respondent is taken on record and relevant portion of the same is reproduced below:
"ii. Denial under Section 8(1)(d) - Justification The remaining query relates to the extent and reach of BPCL's SMS- based Booking Against SMS (BAS) initiative, including number of consumers covered.CIC/BPCLD/A/2025/641460 Page 3 of 5
It is respectfully submitted that BAS is a marketing-driven customer engagement strategy. The data sought is sensitive to business intelligence, including adoption levels of digital initiatives, scale of marketing outreach and consumer targeting information.
Disclosure of such data would
a) Reveal internal business strategy and operational models
b) Provide strategic information to rival Companies.
c) Harm BPCL's market position.
Therefore, the information falls under the exemption provided under Section 8(1)(d), which exempts disclosure of "information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information"."
Decision:
8. The Commission, after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing the respondent and perusal of the records, observes that the respondent gave an appropriate reply to the appellant vide letter dated 25.05.2025. Therefore, no further intervention of the Commission is required. Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed.
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: 14.05.2026 CIC/BPCLD/A/2025/641460 Page 4 of 5 Authenticated true copy S. K. Chitkara (एस. के. नचटकारा) Dy. Registrar (उप-पंजीयक) 011-26107026 Copy To:
1. The CPIO BPCL, LPG - HQ, Bharat Bhavan, 4 & 6. Currimbhoy Road, Ballard Estate, P.B.No. 688, Mumbai-400 001.
2. The FAA, BPCL, LPG - HQ, Bharat Bhavan, 4 & 6. Currimbhoy Road, Ballard Estate, P.B.No. 688, Mumbai-400 001
3. Y.S. V. Prasda Rao CIC/BPCLD/A/2025/641460 Page 5 of 5 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
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