Indian Kanoon - Search engine for Indian Law

Central Information Commission

Joby John vs The Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. on 4 February, 2026

                              केन्द्रीय सूचना आयोग
                         Central Information Commission
                            बाबा गंगनाथ मागग, मुननरका
                         Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
                         नई निल्ली, New Delhi - 110067
नितीय अपील संख्या/Second Appeal No. CIC/OICOL/A/2024/640706


Joby John                                             ......अपीलकताग /Appellant


                               VERSUS
                                बनाम


CPIO: OIC                                            ....प्रनतवािीगण/Respondents

Date of Hearing                      :    27.01.2026

Date of Decision                     :    27.01.2026

Information Commissioner             :   Shri Surendra Singh Meena


Relevant Facts emerging from appeal:


RTI application                      :    27.03.2024

PIO replied on                       :    16.04.2024

First Appeal filed on                :    19.05.2024

First Appeal Order on                :    12.06.2024

2nd Appeal received on               :   11.09.2024




CIC/OICOL/A/2024/640706                                                     Page 1 of 5
 Information sought

and background of the case:

The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 27.03.2024 seeking information on the following points:

"1.Information on whether the provision of graduation increment to graduate (Civil graduate) ex-servicemen vide para(iv and v-last two paragraph) of DFS letter no.4/3/2012-Welfare dated 17.02.2014 is applicable to ex-servicemen joining the general insurance public sector companies like National Insurance Company Limited and other similar organizations.

2.If the provision is applicable to National Insurance Company Limited, information on whether the said provision further require any mandatory amendment or approval by wage amendment scheme by GIPSA and if amendment is required, the status of amendment if any approved BY GIPSA(General Insurance Public Sector Association).

3. Information on amendment carried out, provision granted by GIPSA for graduation increment to graduate ex-servicemen, if any. Information on any restrictions on date of passing of civil graduation for said provisions, if any.

4. Information on any application from ex-servicemen for graduation increment on said DFS letter above was rejected by Public sector Insurance Companies with reasons for rejection if any.

5. Information on said graduation increment to ex-servicemen is uniformity applicable to all autonomous organizations without any other requirements like approval of wage amendment or provisioning by respective authorities like IBA, GIPSA, LIC etc.

6. Information on whether the restriction on date of passing as applicable to general category employees (Maximum date of passing of graduation restricted to 31.07.2007) is also applicable to ex-servicemen employees in National Insurance Company Limited.

7. Any other relevant information like reference, authority quoted by IBA, copy of file notes etc. in respect of said allowance vide para (iv and v) of DFS letter.

The CPIO replied vide letter dated 16.04.2024 and the same is reproduced as under:-

"1. Point No. 1,3,4,5 & 6:

There is provision in Administrative Instructions for implementation of General Insurance (Rationalization and Revision of Pay Scales and Other Conditions of Service of Supervisory, Clerical, Subordinate staff) Second Amendment Scheme 2022 under para 8.5 Graduation Allowance/Increments.

Graduation Increment/Allowance;

In terms of Item V of the Eleventh Schedule, Graduation Increment/Allowance to Assistants and Record Clerks will be governed by the following provisions-

(1) Graduation Increments or Allowance to Assistant With effect from the 1 day of August 2017, the Graduation Increments or Allowance to employees in the scale of Assistant will be paid as under..

(a) An employee who is appointed or promoted to any post in the scale of Assistant and who has qualified as a Graduate of a recognised University on or after the 1 day of January 1973 but before the 1 day of August 2007, and has not reached the maximum of the scale will be granted two increments in the scale with effect from the publication of results of the examination or the date of appointment in the scale of Assistant or 01.11.2022, whichever is later, provided that he has not already received graduation increment of qualification pay for having qualified as such graduate or any advance increment on appointment, otherwise than by way of protection of emoluments granted to ex-servicemen:

Provided that if an employee entitled to increments for graduation is drawing Basic Salary of Rs 59,765/-, only one increment for graduation will be granted to him

2. Point No.2:

Query does not pertains to us."

Dissatisfied with the response received from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 19.05.2024 alleging that the information provided was not provided. The FAA vide order dated 12.06.2024 stated as under:-

"The matter has been reviewed on the basis of RTI application, CPIO's reply and First Appeal The Appeal was referred to the concerned department who have reiterated their earlier reply and there is nothing to add further in the matter."

Aggrieved and dissatisfied, the Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.

Facts emerging in Course of Hearing:

The appellant (Ahmedabad) was present through video conference The respondent Mr. Dr. S Rajesh Kumar, Chief Manager and Mr. Jitendra Kumar Meena, Dy. Manager, (Delhi) were present in-person.

The appellant inter alia submitted that instead of providing the information w.r.t DFS letter dated 17.02.2014, the respondent has provided irrelevant information pertaining to implementation of General Insurance second amendment scheme, 2022.

The respondent while defending their case inter alia submitted that they have provided a reply to the RTI application vide letter dated 16.04.2024. When enquired by the Commission for not referring the DFS letter in the reply, the respondent stated that they had provided a consolidated reply to the information sought.

Decision:

In the light of the above facts and perusal of the available record, the Commission observed that the reply provided by the respondent is not in order as it is not specific and provided a consolidated reply without mentioning anything regarding DFS letter dated 17.02.2014. The Commission directs the respondent to re-visit the RTI application, provide a revised reply to the appellant and furnish a compliance report to the Commission CIC/OICOL/A/2024/640706 Page 4 of 5 within three weeks, after receipt of this order. With this observation and direction, the appeal is disposed.

Sd/ (Surendra Singh Meena) (सुरेंद्र ससिंह मीना) Information Commissioner (सूचना आयुक्त) निनां क/Date: 27.01.2026 Authenticated true copy Ramesh Babu Krishnan (रमेश बाबू कृष्णन) Dy. Registrar (उप पंजीयक) 011-26105027 Addresses of the parties:

1. Joby John 169, Neelkanth Villa Bunglows, Near DPS School, Bopal, Ahmedabad-380058 Gujarat, Ahmedabad, 380058

2. The CPIO The Oriental Insurance Company Ltd, Plate-A, Office Block -IV, NBCC Office Complex, Kidwai Nagar East, New Delhi -110023 CIC/OICOL/A/2024/640706 Page 5 of 5 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-

Nil Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)