Central Information Commission
Mrsandip Agrawal vs State Bank Of India on 29 May, 2015
Central Information Commission
Room No.307, II Floor, B Wing, August Kranti Bhawan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New
Delhi110066
websitecic.gov.in
Appeal: No. CIC/MP/A/2014/001453
Appellant : Shri Sandip Agrawal, New
Delhi.
Public Authority: State Bank of India, New Delhi.
Date of Hearing : 27th May, 2015
Date of Decision : 29th May, 2015
Present :
Appellant : Present
in person.
Respondent : Shri Rajesh
Ahluwalia, AGM & Shri Arvind Sharma,
Manager (Law) in person.
ORDER
1. The appellant Shri Sandip Agrawal, submitted RTI application dated 07.10.2013 before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), State Bank of India, New Delhi seeking information on his six saving ban accounts with SBI through seven points such as the criteria for selecting accounts for mobile alert charges or whether the amount had been debited to all saving accounts in general; the number of SB accounts with SBI on all India basis and the number of SB account holders had subscribed for mobile alert; the total amount received by SBI as mobile alert charges and the amount spent on mobile alert services for June quarter; if any accountholder registered his mobile number for secure net-banking but did not opt for mobile alert, even though mobile alert charges were applicable; was ATM card facility available if any customer did not want to avail debit card, were there any annual charge applicable to ATM card (not debit card); non-issue of CTS-2010 cheque book by 31.3.2011 as per the advertisement in newspapers; Till 2011, the ATM annual fee of Rs. 50 was charged in March. However in 2012 and 2013 ATM annual fee of Rs. 100 and 102 respectively was charged in the month of February, CIC/MP/A/2014/001453 1 thereby taking charges one month in advance, what amount was saved by SBI by charging the fees one month in advance etc.
2. The CPIO vide letter dated 17.10.2013 informed the appellant that he had made mostly queries seeking explanations/ clarification which were outside the scope of 'information' in terms of Section 2(f) of the RTI Act. The provisions of the Act were not intended to raise questions and seeking answers on such queries and the RTI Act did not cast upon the public authority any obligations to answer queries in which the applicant attempts to elicit answers to his questions with prefixes such as why, what, when and whether. Dissatisfied with the reply of the CPIO, the appellant filed an appeal on 14.11.2013 before the first appellate authority (FAA). The FAA vide order dated 18.03.2014 concurred with the decision of the CPIO.
3. Thereafter the appellant filed the present appeal before the Commission.
4. The matter was heard by the Commission. The appellant stated that the respondents denied information by invoking the provisions of Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005. The respondents stated that the information as sought for by the appellant is not maintained at Regional Office level. Moreover, the appellant did not mention his six saving bank account numbers.
5. Having considered the submissions of the parties, the Commission directs the CPIO to providing information/reply on Point 4, 5 and 6 subject to the appellant giving his account numbers within ten days of receipt of saving bank accounts numbers from the appellant. On point 2, 3 and 7 the CPIO to obtain information from the SBI's Corporate Office and provide it to the appellant within thirty days of receipt of this order. The appeal is disposed of.
(Manjula Prasher) Information Commissioner Authenticated true copy:
(T.K. Mohapatra) Dy. Secretary & Dy. Registrar Ph. No. 011-26105027 CIC/MP/A/2014/001453 2 Address of the parties:
Shri Sandip Agrawal, 1104, Akasdeep, 26-A, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi-110001.
The Central Public Information Officer, State Bank fo India, R-3, Delhi Zonal Office-II, P.B. No. 675, 11, Parliament Street, New Delhi-110001.
The General Manager (NW-1)/FAA, State Bank of India, Local Head office, 11, Parliament Street, New Delhi-110001.CIC/MP/A/2014/001453 3