Mahendra Kumar Nigam vs Central Bank on 4 December, 2020

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Central Information Commission

Mahendra Kumar Nigam vs Central Bank on 4 December, 2020

1. The issues under consideration arising out of the second appeal dated 22.09.2018 include non-receipt of the following information raised by the appellant through his RTI application dated 14.06.2018 and first appeal dated 4.7.2018:-

(i) बक शाखा बंधक ारा क ेन बुक ाहक को उपल नहीं करते है पूण सूचना से अवगत कराये I Page 1 of 5

(ii) शाखा बंधक या अ& अिधकारी को यह अिधकार िदया गया है िक ाहक के खाते से िकसी तरह की कटौती िबना िल+खत सूचना के कैसे ,पया काटा गया कारण सिहत सूचना दे I

(iii) Main balance और GST के नाम से िल+खत सूचना से अवगत कराये बैगर बक को खाते : मनमानी गढ़ से जब चाहे ,पया कटाने का अिधकार है इससे बक पर ाहक का िव>ास उठता जा रहा है सूचना द@ I

(iv) भारतीय Bरज़व बक ारा Dा आपको कोई आदे श िदये गये है िक बैगर िल+खत सूचना के खाते से ाहक को बेगार बताये Main balance या अ& काटने का अिधकार, आपके बक को िदया गया है तो उस आदे श की copy (छाया ित) उपल कराये I

(v) बक शाखा ारा कहाँ गया है िक समाचार पO आिद के ारा अवगत कराया जाता है I म पूछना चाहता Pँ िक ऐसे भी ाहक है िजनके पास समाचार पO, मोबाईल नहीं है Dा आपका दाियRनहीं है िक उनको िल+खत पO माSम से ,पया खाते से कटाने के पहले सूिचत करना चािहये या नहीं कारण सिहत TU कर@ I

(vi) कोई V+W बक से लोन ले ता है अगर लोन समय से या नहीं जमा करता है तो Dा आपका बक उस V+W को िल+खत पO ारा ,पया जमा करने Dों कहा जाता है I

(vii) समाचार पO म@ आपके ारा कहाँ गया िक Main balance के सXY म@ कािशत िकया गया है उस समाचार पO की छाया ित उपल कराय@ I

(viii) कोई खाता धारक यिद अपना पO बदलवाना चाहता है Dा उसके बक कज दे ते है या नहीं I

(ix) आपके बक शाखाओं म@ Main balance के नाम से ाहकों के खाते से अबतक िकतना ,पया GST नाम से काटा है यह ,पया िकस मद क[ म@ डाल रखा है अब तक िकतने खाता धारको से काटा गया सूचना उपल कराय@ I Page 2 of 5

(x) भारत सरकार या रा] सरकार ारा Main balance काटने को आपको िकसी तरह का आदे श ा^ िकया हो उसकी छाया कॉपी दे छाया कॉपी का पैसा मुझसे जमा कराकर आदे श की कॉपी दे मुझे I

2. Succinctly facts of the case are that the appellant filed an application dated 14.06.2018 under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), Central Bank of India, Regional Office, Lucknow, seeking aforesaid information. The CPIO vide letter dated 18.06.2018 replied to the appellant.

Dissatisfied with this, the appellant filed first appeal dated 04.07.2018. The First Appellate Authority vide order dated 09.07.2018 disposed of the first appeal. Subsequently, the CPIO gave revised reply to the appellant on 18.07.2018, in compliance of orders of FAA. Aggrieved by this, the appellant filed a second appeal dated 22.09.2018 before this Commission which is under consideration.

3. The appellant has filed the instant appeal dated 22.09.2018 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 vide letter dated 18.06.2018 while giving point-wise reply to the RTI application stated that penalty amount WAS deducted from the appellant's account for not maintaining the minimum balance in his account as per the rules. The FAA vide order dated 09.07.2018 directed the CPIO to provide proper reply as per the provisions of the RTI Act. In compliance of the FAA's order, the CPIO vide letter dated 18.07.2018 gave revised point-wise reply to the appellant.

5. The appellant and on behalf of the respondent, Shri Arun Kumar, Chief Manager, Central Bank of India, Lucknow attended the hearing through video conference.

5.1. The appellant inter alia submitted that an amount of Rs. 354/- was deducted from his account in the name of minimum balance charges and no prior intimation was given by the bank in this regard. He contended that the bank was under obligation to inform the Page 3 of 5 account holder if the minimum balance was not maintained by them and thereafter only, the deduction could be made. Hence, he sought information regarding deductions made by the bank without any intimation to him. However, no satisfactory response was given by the respondent.

5.2. The respondent while defending their case inter alia submitted that they had furnished point-wise reply to the RTI application vide letters dated 18.06.2018 and 18.07.2018. They further informed that they had already placed notice about the levy of penal charges on non-maintenance of minimum balances in savings bank accounts on their notice board, website and the same was also informed to the account holder through the SMS. They contended that minimum balance was charged in the appellant's account as per the rules and the allegations made by the appellant was baseless, hence, not sustainable in the eyes of law.

6. The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing both parties and perusal of records, observed that due reply has been given by the respondent vide letters dated 18.07.2018 and 18.07.2018. It is noted that copy of the rules regarding maintaining of minimum balance was already in public domain hence, the contentions raised by the appellant that he was not informed about this was not sustainable in the eyes of law. Moreover, most of the information sought was in the form of seeking opinion/clarification/reasons which did not fall within the definition of "information" as defined under section 2 (f) of the RTI Act. 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) (सुरेश चं ा) ा) Information Commissioner (सूचना आयु ) दनांक/Date: 03.12.2020 Authenticated true copy R. Sitarama Murthy (आर. सीताराम मूत ) Page 4 of 5 Dy. Registrar (उप पंजीयक) 011-26181927(०११-२६१८१९२७) Addresses of the parties:

CPIO :

CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA Regional Office, 73,Hazratganj, Lucknow, UTTARPRADESH - 226 001 THE F.A.A, CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA Regional Office, 73, Hazratganj, Lucknow, UTTAR PRADESH - 226 001 MAHENDRA KUMAR NIGAM Page 5 of 5

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