Central Information Commission
Akshya Kumar Panda vs Department Of Personnel & Training on 27 May, 2025
के ीय सूचना आयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबा गं गनाथ माग,मुिनरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नई िद ी, New Delhi - 110067
ि तीय अपील सं ा / Second Appeal No. CIC/DOP&T/A/2024/604481
Akshya Kumar Panda ... अपीलकता/Appellant
VERSUS
बनाम
CPIO:
1. M/o. Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions,
Department Of Personnel & Training,
New Delhi
2. Civil Service Officers Institute,
New Delhi ... ितवादीगण/Respondent(s)
Relevant dates emerging from the appeal:
RTI : 10.08.2023 FA : 04.11.2023 SA : Nil
CPIO : 23.08.2023 FAO : 29.11.2023 Hearing : 22.04.2025
Date of Decision: 26.05.2025
CORAM:
Hon'ble Commissioner
_ANANDI RAMALINGAM
ORDER
1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 10.08.2023 seeking information on the following points:
(i) "Union Cabinet and GoI decision on making CSIO as part of DOP&T. relevant papers may be shared.Page 1 of 6
(ii) The composition of management Committee as per society registration Act, which takes all management decisions and execute it. Please share all relevant papers
(iii) Rules and regulations / bye laws , by which affairs of the CSOI is entrusted to the management committee of whatever name. please share the papers.
(iv) Please share the copies of resolutions of Annual general body meeting by which the affairs of management committee is entrusted to the management committee and shared with registrar of societies under societies registration Act.
(v) Please share the name of the approving official who approves all expenditure bill and the authority delegated for such action..." etc.
2. The CPIO, DoPT replied vide letter dated 23.08.2023 and the same is reproduced as under:-
"As the matter concerns Civil Services Officers Institute (CSOI), the application is transferred to CSOI under section 6(3) of RTI Act, 2005 for providing information/reply directly to the RTI applicant."
3. Dissatisfied with the response received from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 04.11.2023. The FAA vide order dated 29.11.2023 stated that:
"The records have been perused and it is found that your RTI application was closely connected with the Central Services Officers Institute (CSOI), therefore, CPIO has transferred the RTI application to CSOI under section 6(3) of RTI Act, 2005 vide letter dated 23.08.2023. As per section 6 (3) of RTI Act, 2005, where an application is made to a public authority requesting for information:
(i) Which is held by another public authority; or
(ii) The subject matter of which is more closely connected with the functions of another public authority, Page 2 of 6 The public authority, to which such application is made, shall transfer the application or such part of it as may be appropriate to the other public authority and inform the applicant immediately about such transfer. Hence, Appellate Authority has not found any ambiguity in transferring of the RTI application.
In the present case, information desired by Appellant under RTI Act, 2005 is to be provided by CSOI and if such information is not provided by CSOI to the applicant within the time limits, an appeal may be made to the officials of CSOI in this regard. The undersigned is Appellate Authority for the matters related to DOPT only. The above stated Appeal stands disposed of."
4. Aggrieved with the FAA's order and non-receipt of the desired information, the Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal dated Nil.
5. The Appellant was present during the hearing in person, however, appeared after the hearing was concluded in the presence of the Respondent. On behalf of the Respondent(s), Naveen Kumar, CPIO, DoPT; Girish Goel, CPIO, CSOI attended the hearing in person.
6. The Appellant's written submissions were taken on record wherein he has argued at length against the alleged denial of the information by the CPIO by entrusting the CSOI to reply to the RTI Application and relied upon the Preamble of the RTI Act; provisions of Section 5(3); Section 8(1)(d); 8(1)(j) & Section 10 as well as 20 of the RTI Act.
7. The Respondent CPIO i.e. DoPT reiterated the transfer of the RTI Application to CSOI while the CPIO, CSOI relied on the contents of his written submissions stating as under and prayed for the condonation of delay caused in replying to the RTI Application:
"1- The post of GM, CSOI i.e. FAA was vacant since Captain (IN) Shiv Kumar Goel (Retd) relinquished the appointment on 19.07.2023. The CPIO i.e. Mr. Jayant Singh was performing additional duties of officiating General Manager and Sr. Manager. Due excessive work load, the said RTI could not be replied by the then CPIO because of the oversight, hence the same may please be condoned. The CPIO has not deliberately delayed in providing the information sought by appellant/complainant Page 3 of 6 2- By order of Director (IC & W) DoP&T & Jt. Secretary, Working Committee, CSOI dated April 8, 2025, in which modified order of dated February 15, 2010 is as under:
First Appellate Authority- Col Vijay Yadav (Retd.) General Manager, CSOI, Vinay Marg, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi-110021 CPIO- Girish Goel, Manager HR & Admin, CSOI, Vinay Marg, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi-110021 3- The present CPIO & FAA have been informed first time vide appeal notice no. CIC/DoP&T/A/2024/604481 dated 01.4.2025. Shri Akshya Kumar Panda V/s the CPIO, Public Grievances & Pensions DoP&T and other before Central Information Commission.
4- The new incumbent, CPIO has now furnished/replied to the information sought by the appellant with reply of appeal without any delay is as given below:
(a) No such documents have been framed by Union Cabinet and GOI.
(b) Composition of management committees is available on our website www.csoi.in under the head of management (Governing Council, Executive Committee, and Working Committee).
(c) The CSOI is governed by the bye laws & MOA, the same is available in the public domain.
(d) The question is not clear.
(e) The expenditures are approved by the office bearers as per financial powers vested to them.
(f) The annual meeting of General Body is held once in a year.
(g) CSOI has not received any money from Government of India in last 10 years on yearly basis.
(h) Question not clear. However, no running projects are pending in CSOI for execution.Page 4 of 6
(i) No space is reserved for DoP&T activities. DoP&T books the spaces for its activities as and when required and the expenditure incurred is paid to CSOI by DoP&T."
8. Upon the Appellant appearing for the hearing, it was contended that the CSOI designate official is not authorized to reply to the RTI Application and expressed grave dissatisfaction with the reply thus received. He further urged for penalty to be imposed in the matter for deliberate denial of the information.
9. The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing both parties and perusal of records, observes that the Respondents submissions suggests that there was no deliberate delay caused in replying to the RTI Application and the information provided to the Appellant now suffices the largely unspecific nature of the RTI queries. Therefore, for want of malafides in the omission noted on the part of CSOI or for want of any scope of intervention with the information provided to the Appellant at this stage, the Commission finds the contentions of the Appellant as stated during the hearing to be bereft of merit.
10. The Appeal is disposed of accordingly.
Copy of the decision be provided free of cost to the parties.
Sd/-
(Anandi Ramalingam) (आनंदी रामिलंगम) Information Commissioner (सूचना आयु ) िदनांक/Date: 26.05.2025 Authenticated true copy O. P. Pokhriyal (ओ. पी. पोख रयाल) Dy. Registrar (उप पंजीयक) 011-26180514 Page 5 of 6 Addresses of the parties:
1. The CPIO M/o. Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department Of Personnel & Training, CPIO, (Welfare Section), Room No.-321, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi-110003
2. The CPIO Civil Service Officers Institute, CPIO, RTI Cell, Vinay Marg, Chankyapuri, New Delhi-110021
3. Akshya Kumar Panda Page 6 of 6 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
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