Central Information Commission Judgements

Mr. Shadwal Kumar vs Allahabad Bank on 23 July, 2008

Central Information Commission
Mr. Shadwal Kumar vs Allahabad Bank on 23 July, 2008
       CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
           B-Wing, 2nd Floor, August Kranti Bhawan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi-110066


                                                                Appeal No.2502/ICPB/2008
                                                                        F.No.PBA/07/1445
                                                                             July 23, 2008

              In the matter of Right to Information Act, 2005 - Section 19
                          [Hearing on 14.7.2008 at 11.00 a.m.]

Appellant :            Mr. Shadwal Kumar

Public authority:      Allahabad Bank
                       Mr. P.S. Bhatia, DGM & CPIO
                       Mr. Rajiva, GM & Appellate Authority

Present:               For Respondents:
                       Mr. P.K. Mukherji, Chief Manager (Law)
                       Mr. A.K. Sinha, Sr. Manager (Law)

                       Appellant not present.

FACTS

:

The appellant has sought information under RTI Act by his letter dated
28.6.2007 addressed to the CPIO, Allhabad Bank, Ranchi requesting certain
information about disbursement of loan from Hazaribagh branch under National
Common Development Scheme of the Bank. The CPIO has disposed of this
application and provided relevant information to his application. In the application
the appellant is requesting information pertaining to disbursement of loan availed
by Self Help Group situated at Hazaribagh. He has requested this information for
the years 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07. The CPIO has informed in his
reply the Bank has not sanctioned any loan for rest of the years except for the year
2006-07 and he has also provided amount of loan sanctioned by the Bank for the
year 2006 & 2007 in respect of this Self Help Group. However, he has denied to
provide other information since it is pertaining to personal information. The
appellant has filed appeal before the AA and the AA has given his decision on
26.9.2007 by which he took the view the name of the self help group who has
availed loan from different branches in Hazaribagh can be provided to the
appellant. In respect of rest of the queries like name of the members, their
addresses, village, occupation etc., the AA has said this information cannot be
provided since it is third party information and they are exempted under section
8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. After receiving AA’s decision the CPIO vide letter dated
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9.10.2007 had provided the name of the Self Help Group availed loan from the
Bank in Hazaribagh branch. Still aggrieved with the said decision, the appellant
has filed appeal before the Commission on 8.11.2007. Comments were called for
vide letter dated 19.02.2007, which was received form CPIO and AA on 5.5.2008.

DECISION:

2. This case was taken up for hearing on 14.7.2008, which was attended by the
Chief Manager (Law) from HO. The appellant did not attend the hearing. I have
gone through the RTI application as well as replies provided by the CPIO and AA
and comments sent by the CPIO. The appellant has requested certain information
in respect of loan availed by Self Help Group from the Bank in Hazaribagh. The
Bank has already provided the reply like total amount of loan availed in the year
2006-2007 and they have also provided the name of the Self Help Group beyond
which AA has taken the stand the information cannot be given since it is pertaining
to the personal information. I totally agree with the stand taken by the CPIO and
AA in restricting themselves with the total amount of loan given and name of the
Self Help Groups availed the loan. In case if the appellant is having any specific
problem in respect of the Self Help Group he is free to take up those issues with
the CPIO and CPIO will examine them as per the provisions of the RTI Act. On
the above lines, the appeal is disposed of.

Let a copy of this decision be sent to the appellant and CPIO.

Sd/-

(Padma Balasubramanian)
Central Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy :

(Prem Singh Sagar)
Under Secretary & Assistant Registrar

Address of parties :

1. Mr. P.S. Bhatia, DGM & CPIO, Allahabad Bank, Zonal Office, Circular
Road, Lalpur Chowk, Ranchi (Jharkhand).

2. Mr. Rajiva, GM & Appellate Authority, Allahabad Bank, Head Office, 2,
Netaji Subhas Road, Kolkata-700001

3. Mr. Shadwal Kumar, Tanushri Vastralaya, Jhanda Chowk, Hazari Bagh,
Bihar.

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