Central Information Commission
Shri Bashisth Narayan Singh vs Punjab National Bank on 6 July, 2009
Central Information Commission
Appeal No.CIC/PB/A/2008/00878-SM dated 18.10.2007
Right to Information Act-2005-Under Section (19)
Dated: 6 July 2009
Name of the Appellant : Shri Bashisth Narayan Singh, S/o Late Shri Bhikhari Singh, Vill. UB, Post Bharoob, P.S. Obra, Distt. Aurangabad, Bihar - 824 124.
Name of the Public : CPIO, Punjab National Bank, Inspection Authority & Audit Department, Circle Office, 400-A, P. Colony, Gaya.
The Appellant was present in person.
On behalf of the Respondent, Shri A.K. Gulati, Chief Manager, was present.
The case in brief is as under.
2. The Appellant had requested the CPIO in an application dated 18 October 2007 for providing a loan of Rs 10 lakh under the Kissan Credit Card scheme of the Bank. On not receiving any reply from the CPIO within the stipulated period, he sent a complaint to the General Manager of the Bank. Following this complaint, the CPIO wrote to him on 5 January 2008 and informed him that the Branch had already written to him stating that the power of the concerned Branch had been seized and advised him to submit LPC and land revenue receipt and other related documents so that the same could be sent to the RMO, Gaya for sanction of the loan. Claiming not to have received any reply from the CPIO in time, the Appellant sent an appeal to the Appellate Authority on to February 2008. The Appellate Authority rejected his appeal in his order dated 3 March 2008 and endorsed the reply given by the Branch Manager and enclosed a copy of the letter dated 24 October 2007 which the Branch had sent to the Appellant explaining the modality of seeking loan under the said scheme. It is against this order of the Appellate Authority that the Appellant has come to the CIC in second appeal.
CIC/PB/A/2008/00878-SM
3. Both the parties were present during the hearing and made their submissions. It is to be noted that the original application for information dated 18 October 2007 was a loan application and not an application for information. Nowhere in that application did the Appellant seek any information. Nevertheless, the Branch Manager sent a reply to him on 24 October 2007, that is, within the stipulated period though the Appellant claims not to have received it at all. He claims that he got a copy of this letter only when the Appellate Authority enclosed it along with his order. For his satisfaction that the Branch Manager had indeed sent a reply containing his advice on seeking a loan on 24 October 2007, we direct the Appellate Authority to verify the dispatch records of the Branch and to send within 10 working days from the receipt of this order a photocopy of the relevant page of the dispatch register showing the dispatch of the Branch letter dated 24 October 2007 to the Appellant.
4. With the above direction, the appeal is disposed off.
5. Copies of this order be given free of cost to the parties.
(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 Copy to:
1. Shri Bashisth Narayan Singh, S/o Late Shri Bhikhari Singh, Vill. UB, Post Bharoob, P.S. Obra Distt. Aurangabad, Bihar - 824 124.
2. The CPIO, Punjab National Bank, Inspection & Audit Department, Circle Office, 400-A, P. Colony, Gaya.
CIC/PB/A/2008/00878-SM