Central Information Commission, New Delhi
File No.CIC/SM/A/2010/001630
Right to Information Act2005Under Section (19)
Date of hearing : 19 October 2011
Date of decision : 19 October 2011
Name of the Appellant : Ms. Sudershan Kaur
#2314, Phase XI,
S A S Nagar, Mohali.
Name of the Public Authority : CPIO, Punjab National Bank,
Inspection Department, Circle Office,
Civil Lines, Jalandhar City,
Punjab.
The Appellant was present along with Shri Ranjit Singh.
On behalf of the Respondent, the following were present:
(i) Shri V.K. Trehan, Chief Manager,
(ii) Shri Rajender Prasad
Chief Information Commissioner : Shri Satyananda Mishra
2. The Appellant was present in the Mohali studio of the NIC while the
Respondent was present in the Jalandhar studio. We heard their submissions.
3. The Appellant had wanted to know if a certain branch of the bank had an
account in the name of her late father and some further details about that
account. The CPIO had informed her that there was no such account in the
branch as per the available records there.
4. During the hearing, the Appellant submitted that, in 1997, the bank had
confirmed that there was an account in the name of her late father in the said
branch and that a certain amount was outstanding in that account. Therefore, in
her opinion, it was unlikely that there were no records about that account in the
branch. On the other hand, the Respondent submitted that they had all the
records since 2001 but did not find any reference to any account in the name of
the late father of the Appellant in those records.
5. We think in these circumstances, it would be appropriate if the bank
would conduct a fresh search for this particular account and find out if there
was any reference to it in any other available record of the branch. If, however,
after a renewed search, it would be discovered that no such account any longer
existed in the branch records, this should be confirmed to the Appellant in a
sworn affidavit within 10 working days of receiving this order. We direct the
CPIO to do so without fail.
5. The appeal is disposed off accordingly.
6. Copies of this order be given free of cost to the parties.
(Satyananda Mishra)
Chief Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy. Additional copies of orders shall be supplied against
application and payment of the charges prescribed under the Act to the CPIO of this
Commission.
(Vijay Bhalla)
Deputy Registrar