Central Information Commission
CIC/AD/C/08/00140
Dated March 13, 2009
Name of the Applicant : Mr.M.K.Bharat
Name of the Public Authority : Dept. of Telecommunications, Patna
Background
1. The Applicant filed an RTI application dt.3.9.08 with the CPIO, DoT, Patna
requesting for the following information: i) action taken regarding provision of
lift in Gaya telephone office; ii) by which timeframe shortage of employees
will be taken care of so that 197 service becomes more efficient; iii) in how
many houses correct telephone bills have been sent along with a copy of the
list of houses and iv) why 1951, 198 and 197 facilities are not always
available. On not receiving any reply from the CPIO , he filed an appeal
dt.14.10.08 with the Appellate Authority. On not receiving any reply from
the first Appellate Authority, he filed a second appeal dt.nil before CIC which
was received in CIC on 11.1208
2. The Bench of Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, Information Commissioner, scheduled the
hearing for March 13, 2009.
3. Mr. Surya Prakash, DGM(A), Patna represented the Public Authority.
4. The Applicant was not present during the hearing.
Decision
5. The Respondent submitted that the RTI application submitted to the
Commission as also the first appeal are totally different, in terms of the
dates, from the documents they have in their records, since the same
application was filed with the Public Authority on an earlier date. The
Respondent also pointed out that the IPO number on the RTI application in his
file is the same as the IPO number provided to the Commission along with the
RTI application showing a later date ie dt. 3.9.08. However, despite the
confusion created by the different RTI application dates, in the interest of the
applicant, the Commission took a lenient view and agreed to consider the
second appeal.
6. The Respondent submitted that the Appellant has filed several public interest
applications and that in his RTI application has asked for action taken on tthe
public interest applications he had filed with the Public Authority. The
Respondent stated that information against Point No. (i), (ii), (iv) of the RTI
request has been provided to the Appellant vide letter dt. 21.8.08 in response
to his RTI appeal dt. 14.7.08 . He also stated that it is not possible to give an
answer about the number of correct bills sent to subscribers since the
information is voluminous and compiling the same would disproportionately
divert their resources.
7. The Commission noted that all available information has been provided to the
Applicant and with regard to point (iii) advises the Appellant to be more
specific about the information he requires.
8. The appeal is disposed off.
(Annapurna Dixit)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy:
(K.G.Nair)
Designated Officer
Cc:
1. Mr.M.K.Bharat
27, Makhlotganj
Railway Cinema Road
Gaya, Bihar
2. The CPIO
Department of Telecommunications
Patna
3. Officer in charge, NIC
4. Press E Group, CIC