Central Information Commission
Shri S.N. Bhat vs Canara Bank on 2 June, 2009
Central Information Commission
No.CIC/PB/A/2008/00896-SM dated 03.10.2007
Right to Information Act-2005-Under Section (19)
Dated 02.06.2009
Appellant : Shri S.N. Bhat
Respondent : Canara Bank
The Appellant is represented by Shri Vithal.
On behalf of the Respondent, the following are present:-
(i) Shri Mohan Shanker, Senior Manager
(ii) Shri Pravatisharan
(iii) Shri Ajit Nayar, Senior Manager The brief facts of the case are as under.
2. The Appellant had, in his application dated 3 November 2007, requested the CPIO for providing him with a number of information regarding the distribution of gold coins to the staff members of the bank on the occasion of the centenary celebrations. The CPIO replied on 7 December 2007 and denied the information on the ground that it was personal information the disclosure of which was exempt under Section 8(1) (j) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Not satisfied with this reply, he preferred an appeal before the first Appellate Authority on for January 2008. The first Appellate Authority endorsed the stand taken by the CPIO in denying the information. The Appellant has preferred the second appeal to the CIC against the above order of the first Appellate Authority.
3. The hearing was conducted through videoconferencing. Both the sides were present in the respective NIC studio. We heard the submissions of the Respondent. He argued that the Appellant had asked several questions, seeking more of an interpretation or clarification from the CPIO on various issues rather than any information. After carefully examining the contents of the Appellant's application for information, we find that the CPIO's argument does not have much merit in it. It is noted that even though the Appellant has framed his requests in the form of questions, it is quite easy to decipher the exact information he is seeking. For example, he wants to know who decided to present gold coins to staff members, or if No.CIC/PB/A/2008/00896-SM any quotation was invited for procuring those gold coins and, if so, for the details of the bidders and their quotation etc. Surely, there are records in the Bank containing the details about the authority which decided on presentation of gold coins to the staff members and the bids and quotations received from the bidders and so on. To claim that such information is personal information or that these do not constitute information at all is clearly an attempt to deny information.
4. In view of the above, we are inclined to direct the CPIO to provide to the Appellant within 10 working days from receipt of this order, all the information sought by him.
5. With the above direction, the appeal is disposed off.
6. Copies of this order be given free of cost to the parties.
Sd/-
(Satyananda Mishra) Information Commissioner Authenticated true copy. Additional copies of orders shall be supplied against application and payment of the charges prescribed under the Act to the CPIO of this Commission.
(Vijay Bhalla) Assistant Registrar No.CIC/PB/A/2008/00896-SM