Central Information Commission
Amar Chawla vs The New India Assurance Company Ltd. on 24 September, 2025
के ीय सूचना आयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबा गंगनाथ माग, मुिनरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नई िद ी, New Delhi - 110067
File No: CIC/NIACL/A/2024/615285
Amar Chawla .....अपीलकता/Appellant
VERSUS
बनाम
CPIO,
The New India Assurance Company
Ltd., Regional Office, Block No. 3,
Second Floor, Paryawas Bhawan,
Arera Hills, Bhopal - 462011 .... ितवादीगण /Respondent
Date of Hearing : 09.09.2025
Date of Decision : 24.09.2025
INFORMATION COMMISSIONER : Vinod Kumar Tiwari
Relevant facts emerging from appeal:
RTI application filed on : 14.12.2023
CPIO replied on : 17.01.2024
First appeal filed on : 02.02.2024
First Appellate Authority's order : 24.02.2024
Compliance of FA order : NA
2nd Appeal/Complaint dated : 10.04.2024
Information sought:
1. The Appellant filed an (offline) RTI application dated 14.12.2023 seeking the following information:Page 1 of 4
"महोदय नवेदन है क लेम नं.-45210711200190000004 पॉ लसी नं.- 45210711200100000008 लेम हब फाईल नं.-9366 खाता मेसस शंकर सोया ऑयल इ#ड%&'ज म) लगी आग ,दनांक 13/10/2020 म) र-व. के. संघल ऐसो सए1स सव2यर 3वारा 4%तुत सव2 6रपोट क8 स9या-पत 4 त 4दान कर) ।"
2. The CPIO furnished a reply to the Appellant on 17.01.2024 stating as under:
"Please refer to your RTI application dated 14/12/2023 seeking survey report copy of Mr. Ravi K. Singhal Associates under Fire Claim no.45210711200190000004 Policy no.45210711200100000008 claim hub file no.9366, on approaching claims hub for survey report they replied that the claim is under investigation and Insured is not cooperating with the investigator, hence we cannot provide any details. After receiving the Investigation report we will provide the same."
3. Being dissatisfied, the appellant filed a First Appeal dated 02.02.2024. The FAA vide its order dated 24.02.2024, held as under.
"We reiterate that we have not received complete survey report in claim number 45210711200190000004 from the concerned surveyor as requested by you as soon as we will receive the survey report the same will be provided to you."
4. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied, appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.
Relevant Facts emerged during Hearing:
The following were present:-
Appellant: Shri Tushar Gaikwad appeared on behalf of the Appellant through video conference.
Respondent: Ms. Jaya Sugan Priya G K, Manager & CPIO, appeared through video conference.
5. Proof of having served a copy of Second Appeal on Respondent while filing the same in CIC on 10.04.2024 is not available on record. The Respondent confirmed non-service.
Page 2 of 46. The Appellant' s representative inter alia submitted that the Appellant, engaged in the business of edible oils at Bhopal, had obtained an insurance policy (No. 45210711200100000008), on payment of premium of Rs. 17,760/-, from the Respondent-Insurer effective from 13.05.2020 to 12.05.2021. On 13.10.2020, a fire broke out in the Appellant's premises. The loss was reported immediately, and a claim was lodged. The Insurer appointed Shri Ravi K. Singal Associates Insurance Surveyor Pvt. Ltd. (later renamed as I Competence Insurance Surveyor and Loss Assessors Pvt. Ltd.) to assess the loss. The Surveyor submitted his report dated 10.11.2023 to the Insurer.
7. Shri Tushar Gaikwad further submitted that the Appellant sought a copy of the Survey Report which was denied stating that the claim was under
investigation. He pleaded that the denial of the requested information is unjustified and prays for a direction to the Respondent to furnish a copy of the Survey Report.
8. The Respondent while defending their case inter alia submitted that they had already provided the information to the Appellant vide email dated 20.03.2024. Further, the Respondent has filed a written submission dated 09.09.2025 clarifying his position, copy of the same is marked to the Appellant and contents of the same was reproduced as under:
"On receipt of the surveyor report, the claims department vide mail dtd. 20.03.2024 has provided the report ref: 2023-24/NIA/35A dtd. 10.11.2023 of M/s I Competence Insurance Surveyors & Loss Assessors Pvt Ltd to the applicant which is an addendum report. As the addendum report was received after the thorough investigation of the case, therefore, the addendum report has become the final report, and it supersedes all the previous reports of any other surveyor.
The applicant has already filed the case BEFORE THE HONOURABLE DISTRICT CONSUMER FORUM BHOPAL (M.P.) and the upcoming hearing is on 09.09.2025 Complaint No-CC/319/2025.
In view of the above, we dutifully pray that the Hon'ble Commissioner dismiss the appeal and uphold the decision of CPIO. It has always been our endeavour to promote the objectives of RTI in letter and spirit."Page 3 of 4
Decision:
9. The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing both the parties and perusal of the records, noted that the CPIO initially denied disclosure of the Survey Report citing pendency of investigation. Subsequently, upon receipt of the addendum Survey Report dated 10.11.2023, the Respondent has already provided the same to the Appellant vide email dated 20.03.2024. As the information sought by the Appellant has already been furnished, and no larger public interest has been demonstrated for further intervention, the Commission finds no infirmity in the reply of the Respondent. Accordingly, the Commission holds that the Appellant's grievance does not survive for consideration under the RTI Act.
The appeal is disposed of accordingly.
Vinod Kumar Tiwari (िवनोद कुमार ितवारी) Information Commissioner (सूचना आयु ) Authenticated true copy (अिभ मािणत स!ािपत ित) (S. Anantharaman) Dy. Registrar 011- 26181927 Date Copy To:
The FAA, Deputy General Manager, The New India Assurance Company Ltd., Regional Office, Block No. 3, Second Floor, Paryawas Bhawan, Arera Hills, Bhopal - 462011 Page 4 of 4 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
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