Central Information Commission
Shri K.L.Gupta vs Insurance Division on 9 February, 2011
CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
Room No.296, II Floor, B Wing, August Kranti Bhawan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi-110066
Telefax:011-26180532 & 011-26107254 website:cic.gov.in
Appeal No: CIC/DS/A/2010/000258
Appellant : Shri K.L.Gupta, Ujjain
Public Authority : Life Insurance Corporation of India, Bhopal/Mumbai
Date of Decision : 9 February 2011
Facts:-
The Commission in its order dated 12.10.2010, while disposing of the Appeal No. CIC/DS/A/2010/000258 has expressed the view that LIC of India suo moto should upload in their website the list of agents alonwith their respective agency code numbers in the interest of transparency as action under section 4(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.
2. The Managing Director, LIC of India, has brought the following difficulties on compliance of this order of the Commission and sumitted to the Commission to exempt LIC of India from having to upload agents data on their website:
1. The huge size of the data having 14,02,807 agents (as on 31.03.2010) attached to 2048 Branch Offices and 1004 Satellites Offices.
2. The data is Dynamic in Nature as the agents get recruited anew and also get terminated for want of procuring a minimum required business to continue in books.
The data changes on a regular and daily basis on national scale as appertaining to each of the 3052 operating units. The data are kept in respective Branches and the Satellites Offices. To update the data on a daily basis and collate the same by collecting from all the operating units would be a drain on the resources of the public authority.
3. Provision is already there in the website- or any query on a product or service, agent details and a separate channel has been created of 'Direct Marketing' for that purpose. A customer portal is created for all the web-savvy customers who can directly pay their premium 'on-line' and get all the details of their respective policies etc. on line. Also there is in place an IVRS Help line with a unique access number 1251 for redressing the grievance of the customer. There are 31 info centers in the country with unique ISDN numbers apart from the above which is already available in their corporate website.
4. Opening the data of their agents will expose their agency force to the competitors affecting the commercial interest of the corporation.
Decision
5. The Commission accepts the plea of the respondent as stated above and exempts them from uploading the agents data on their website.
(Smt. Deepak Sandhu) Information Commissioner (DS) Authenticated true copy (T.K.Mohapatra) Under Secretary & Dy. Registrar (Tel: 011-26105027) Copy to:-
1. Shri K.L.Gupta, Rajasva Colony, Feeganj, Ujjain (MP).
2. Managing Director LIC of India, Central Office Yogakshema, Jeevan Bima Marg, Mumbai-400021
3. The CPIO, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Divisional Office, 60-A, Arera Hills, Bhopal- 462011.