Central Information Commission Judgements

Mr.Akshaymalhotra vs Employees Provident Fund … on 1 August, 2011

Central Information Commission
Mr.Akshaymalhotra vs Employees Provident Fund … on 1 August, 2011
                      CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
                          Club Building (Near Post Office)
                        Old JNU Campus, New Delhi - 110067
                               Tel: +91-11-26161796

                                                        Decision No. CIC/SG/C/2011/900295/13771
                                                            Complaint No. CIC/SG/C/2011/900295

Complainant                         :       Mr. Akshay Kumar Malhotra
                                            KP-142, Maurya Enclave,
                                            Pitam Pura,
                                            Delhi - 110088

Respondent                          :    Public Information Officer,
                                    Employees' Provident Fund Organisation
                                         14- Bhikaji Cama Place,
                                         New Delhi - 110066

RTI Application filed on:    14/12/2010
PIO's reply on :             11/01/2011

Relevant facts emerging from the Complaint:
    The Complainant filed a RTI application with the PIO, Employees Provident Fund Organisation,
on 14/12/2010 seeking the following information:

   1. What is the lime limit (number of days) within which the claim of the member needs to be
      settled under EPF & MP Act. (a) Settlement & (b) Fund, here means the same as what is
      elaborated above in para 2 & 3.
   2. Opening number of cases as on 1st April, 2010.
   3. Receipt & settlement of claims, gaiving separately
          a. Regionwise & Sub-Region wise details
          b. The information seeked here is in (i) numbers of cases as well as (ii) values involved
          Note: Number of cases received by EPEO Deptt means Submitted by members at Dak
          Inward cell of your office and for which acknowledgement is given to member. This is imp
          order to mitigate any difference in figures of Receipt by your Dak Inward Deptt and delays
          in forwarding the same to respective ward / circle & then to Accounts/ Cash Deptt.., if any
          such cases are there. Because the limitation period as per the EPF & MP Act mentioned in
          point number I above starts from the date of receipt of documents by your office(s) i.e.at
          Dak inward window.
   4. Cases settled during the month.
   5. Cases referred back to members for any incomplete or incorrect document / information during
      the month.
   6. Closing balance of cases at the end of month. This should be basically sum/deduction of point
      number (2+3-4-5).
   7. Information is required on monthly basis for 8 months from April 2010 to November 2010, so
      that to understand and know the progress in settlement of cases.

Relevant Facts

emerging during Hearing:

Following were present:

Complainant: Mr. Akshay Kumar Malhotra on telephone no. 09654462917;
Respondent: Absent;

The complainant states that the information is available in the Head Office as per information
provided by EPFO. Instead of providing the information which is available at the MIS System at the
EPFO Head Quarters the PIO transferred the RTI application to the various regional and zonal offices.
This was completely unnecessary and consequently the complainant did not get the required
information. As per the complainant contention the PIO unnecessarily increased the work for many
PIOs across the country as well as for the complainant.
Based on this the Commission directs the PIO at Head Quarters to provide information which may be
available with the Head Quarters MIS to the Complainant.

Decision:

The Complaint is allowed.

The PIO is directed to provide the information to the Complainant before
25 August 2011.

This decision is announced in open chamber.

Notice of this decision be given free of cost to the parties.
Any information in compliance with this Order will be provided free of cost as per Section 7(6) of RTI Act.

Shailesh Gandhi
Information Commissioner
01 August 2011
(In any correspondence on this decision, mention the complete decision number.) (SU)