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[Cites 8, Cited by 0]

Central Information Commission

Subhash Pandey vs Ifci Limited (Ifci) on 8 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/IFCIL/A/2024/618678

Subhash Pandey                                                  ... अपीलकता/Appellant

                                       VERSUS
                                        बनाम
CPIO: IFCI Limited (IFCI),
Bhopal                                                    ... ितवादीगण/Respondents

Relevant dates emerging from the appeal:

RTI : 18.01.2024               FA      : 15.03.2024             SA      : 03.05.2024

CPIO : 23.04.2024              FAO : Not on record              Hearing : 01.05.2025


Date of Decision: 07.05.2025
                                        CORAM:
                                  Hon'ble Commissioner
                                _ANANDI RAMALINGAM
                                       ORDER

1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 18.01.2024 seeking information on the following points:

1. खा िवभाग सतना म पद थ डाटा ए ी आपरे टर, रघुवीर िसंह रठौर, रमाकांत पटे ल, िवजय कुशवाहा, भात सोनी, अचना ितवारी, युवराज ताप िसंह, पवन कुमार, शुभम सोनी, अिभषेक ीवा व िनयु के दौरान संल सभी द ावेजों की स ािपत छाया ित।
2. डाटा ए ी आपरे टर भत की िनयमावली की स ािपत छाया ित।
3. डाटा ए ी आपरे टर भत के दौरान टाइिपंग टे की स ािपत छाया ित।
Page 1 of 5

2. Having not received any response from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 15.03.2024.

3. The CPIO replied vide letter dated 23.04.2024 and the same is reproduced as under:-

"Information on point-numbers (1) and (3) is declined under section 8(1)(j) of RTI Act being personal in nature in regard to the persons about whom information is sought. Reference is invited to Supreme Court verdict dated 31.08.2017 (Civil Appeal number 22 of 2009) in the matter "Canara Bank versus CS Shyam"

wherein Hon'ble court observed as under:

....transfers of staff with regard to individual employees is in relation to the personal details of individual employee such as the date of his/her joining, designation, details of promotion earned, date of his/her joining to the Branch where he/she is posted, the authorities who issued the transfer orders etc. etc are personal details of employees exempted under section 8(1) (j) of RTI Act.
Reference is further invited to verdict dated 13.11.2019 (Civil Appeal number 2683, 10044 & 10045 of 2010) by Constitution Bench of Supreme Court of India in the matter "Central Public Information Officer, Supreme Court versus Subhash Chandra Agrawal" wherein the Apex Court observed as under:
59. Reading of the aforesaid judicial precedents, in our opinion, would indicate that personal records, including name, address, physical, mental and psychological status, marks obtained, grades and answer. sheets, all are treated as personal information. Similarly professional records, including qualification performance, evaluation reports, ACRs, disciplinary proceedings, etc. are all personal information. Medical records, treatment, choice of medicine, list of hospitals and doctors visited, findings recorded, including that of the family members, information relating to assets, liabilities, income tax returns, details of investments, lending and Page 2 of 5 borrowing, etc. are personal information. Such personal information is entitled to protection from unwarranted invasion of privacy and conditional access is available when stipulation of larger public interest is satisfied.

This list is indicative and not exhaustive.

44. In line with the aforesaid discussion, we need to note that following non- exhaustive considerations needs to be considered while assessing the 'public interest' under Section 8 of the RTI Act. a. Nature and content of the information b. Consequences of non-disclosure; dangers and benefits to public c. Type of confidential obligation.

d. Beliefs of the confidant; reasonable suspicion e. Party to whom information is disclosed f. Manner in which information acquired g. Public and private interests h. Freedom of expression and proportionality. However, a copy of rules for appointment of Data Entry Operators as sought in point-number (2) of RTI application is enclosed herewith"

4. The FAA's order, if any, is not available on record.
5. Aggrieved with the non -receipt of the FAA's order, the Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal dated 03.05.2024.
6. The appellant remained absent during the hearing despite notice and on behalf of the respondent Mr. Chandra Shekhar, RTI Officer, attended the hearing through video conference and Mr. Subhash Agarwal RTI Consultant, attended the hearing in-person.
Page 3 of 5
7. The respondent while defending their case inter alia submitted that the information sought pertained to the third-party, disclosure of which had no relationship to any public activity or interest, hence, exemption under section 8 (1) (j) of the RTI Act has been sought. A written submission dated 21.04.2025 of the respondent has been taken on record.
8. The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing the respondent and perusal of records, observes that the CPIO has provided appropriate reply to the RTI Application as per the provisions of the RTI Act vide letter dated 23.04.2024. The perusal of records further reveals that the appellant has sought for the personal information of third party, disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest. Hence, the CPIO correctly denied the information under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. In this regard, the attention of the appellant is drawn towards a judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the matter of Central Public Information Officer, Supreme Court of India Vs. Subhash Chandra Agarwal in Civil Appeal No. 10044 of 2010 with Civil Appeal No. 10045 of 2010 and Civil Appeal No. 2683 of 2010 wherein the import of "personal information" envisaged under Section 8(1)(j) of RTI Act has been exemplified in the context of earlier ratios laid down by the same Court in the matter(s) of Canara Bank Vs. C.S. Shyam in Civil Appeal No.22 of 2009; Girish Ramchandra Deshpande vs. Central Information Commissioner & Ors., (2013) 1 SCC 212 and R.K. Jain vs. Union of India & amp; Anr., (2013) 14 SCC
794. The following was thus held:
"59. Reading of the aforesaid judicial precedents, in our opinion, would indicate that personal records, including name, address, physical, mental and psychological status, marks obtained, grades and answer sheets, are all treated as personal information. Similarly, professional records, including qualification, performance, evaluation reports, ACRs, disciplinary proceedings, etc. are all personal information. Medical records, treatment, choice of medicine, list of hospitals and doctors visited, findings recorded, including that of the family members, information relating to assets, liabilities, income tax returns, details of Page 4 of 5 investments, lending and borrowing, etc. are personal information. Such personal information is entitled to protection from unwarranted invasion of privacy and conditional access is available when stipulation of larger public interest is satisfied. This list is indicative and not exhaustive..."

9. Further, in the absence of the appellant to plead his case or contest the CPIO's submissions and in the absence of the larger public interest, the Commission finds no scope of intervention in the matter. Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed.

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

Sd/-

(Anandi Ramalingam) (आनंदी रामिलंगम) Information Commissioner (सूचना आयु ) िदनांक/Date: 07.05.2025 Authenticated true copy O. P. Pokhriyal (ओ. पी. पोख रयाल) Dy. Registrar (उप पंजीयक) 011-26180514 Addresses of the parties:

1 The CPIO MPCON Ltd, Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan-II, Ground Floor, 35, Shyamla Hills, Bhopal, MP - 462002 2 Subhash Pandey Page 5 of 5 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
Nil Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
Nil Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
Nil Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)