Narendra Singh Bisht vs Punjab National Bank on 23 June, 2023

[Cites 4, Cited by 46]

Central Information Commission

Narendra Singh Bisht vs Punjab National Bank on 23 June, 2023

1. The issue under consideration arising out of the second appeal dated 01.07.2021 include non-receipt of the following information sought by the appellant through the RTI application dated 05.04.2021 and first appeal dated 22.04.2021:-

 As per the RTI Act kindly provide information regarding number of accounts linked with the Pan No. ACR PR 30 91F and also provide the name of operator and details of accounts number concerned with PAN No. ACR PR 3091F.

2. Succinctly facts of the case are that the appellant filed an application dated 05.04.2021 under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), Punjab National Bank, Uttarakhand, seeking aforesaid information. The CPIO vide letter dated 13.04.2021 replied to the appellant. Aggrieved by Page 1 of 3 the same, the appellant filed first appeal dated 22.04.2021. The First Appellate Authority (FAA) vide order dated 15.05.2021 disposed of the first appeal. Aggrieved by that, the appellant filed second appeal dated 01.07.2021 before the Commission which is under consideration.

3. The appellant has filed the instant appeal dated 01.07.2021 inter alia on the grounds that reply given by the CPIO was not satisfactory. The appellant requested the Commission to direct the CPIO to provide the complete information and take necessary action as per Section 20 (1) of the RTI Act.

4. The CPIO replied vide letter dated 13.04.2021 and the same is reproduced as under:-

"आपके आवेदन म मांगी गई सूचना तृतीय प से स बंिधत है एवं आर टी आई अिधिनयम २००५ क! धारा ८ (एफ) के अंतग"त #कटीकरण से मु& है "

The FAA vide order dated 15.05.2021 agreed to the reply given by the CPIO.

5. The appellant remained absent and on behalf of the respondent Shri Sanjeev Purohit, Dy. General Manager & CPIO, Punjab National Bank, Nainital attended the hearing through video conference.

5.1. The respondent while defending their case inter alia submitted that the appellant had sought information about PAN card and account details of a third party and their customer. Therefore, they had invoked exemption under the provisions of section 8 (1) (j) of the RTI Act.

6. The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing the respondent and perusal of records, observed that the reply given by the respondent was evasive. Perusal of the CPIO's reply dated 13.04.2021 revealed that the respondent had claimed exemption under section 8 (f) of the RTI Act, which did not concern third party information. During the course of hearing, the respondent informed that it was an inadvertent error. The appellant remained absent. He could not establish as to what was his relationship with the account about which he was seeking information. In the absence of the appellant, the averments made by the respondent were taken on record. That being Page 2 of 3 so, there appears to be no public interest in further prolonging the matter. Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed.

Copy of the decision be provided free of cost to the parties.

Sd/-

(Suresh Chandra) (सुसुरेशचं ा) ा सूचनाआयु ) Information Commissioner (सू दनांक/Date: 22.06.2023 Authenticated true copy R. Sitarama Murthy (आर. सीताराममूत ) Dy. Registrar (उपपंजीयक) 011-26181927(०११-२६१८१९२७) Addresses of the parties:

THE CPIO :

PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK CIRCLE OFFICE HALDWANI ,NEAR WHITE HALL SCHOOL, UNCHA PULL, UTTARAKHAND - 263139 THE FIRST APPELLATE AUTHORITY PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK CIRCLE OFFICE HALDWANI ,NEAR WHITE HALL SCHOOL, UNCHA PULL, UTTARAKHAND - 263139 SH. NARENDRA SINGH BISHT Page 3 of 3

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