Central Information Commission
CIC/OK/A/08/1078-AD
Dated May 20, 2009
Name of the Applicant : Mr.Saidur Rahman
Name of the Public Authority : Northern Railway, Lucknow
Background
1. The Applicant filed an RTI application dt.14.3.08 with the CPIO, NR, Lucknow.
He requested for information against 6 points relating to his four
representations to the Public Authority . The CPIO replied on 10.4.08
requesting the Applicant to provide further references to be able to locate the
letters. Not satisfied with the reply, the Applicant filed an appeal dt.17.4.08
with the Appellate Authority providing some information about three letters
to help in locating them. The Appellate Authority replied on 15.5.08
informing the Applicant that replies to them have already been sent to the
Applicant. He provided the File nos. and dates of these replies. Aggrieved with
this information, the Applicant filed a second appeal dt.21.7.08 before the
CIC.
2. The Bench of Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, Information Commissioner, scheduled the
hearing for May 20, 2009.
3. Mr. Govind Prasad, Sr. DMM cum PIO and Mr. Neeraj Gupta, Sr.
DME/Lucknow represented the Public Authority.
4. The Applicant was not present during the hearing.
Decision
5. The Respondent submitted that the Department follows a centralized system
by which all mail is received at one point and then distributed to different
branches work-wise and that it was not possible for them to locate the four
letters mentioned in the RTI application. Accordingly the Sr. Divisional
Mechanical Engineer (O&F) informed the Appellant to provide either the
photocopies of those letters or information regarding the specific subject in
each of those letters, under intimation to the CPIO to be able to locate the
branch to which these letters were sent. Based on the references provided,
the Appellant was furnished with copies of the relevant letters he had sought.
The Commission after reviewing the information provided observed that all
the letters referred to the same subject and that action taken on the letters
was intimated to the Appellant vide letter dated 20.3.08. Since information
has been provided, the appeal is accordingly disposed off.
(Annapurna Dixit)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy:
(G.Subramanian)
Asst. Registrar
Cc:
1. Mr.Saidur Rahman
R/o Running Shed Colony
L.D-14A
Terhi Pulia
Alam Bagh
Lucknow 226 005
2. The CPIO
Northern Railway
Divisional Railway Manager’s Office
Lucknow Division, Hazaratganj
Lucknow
3. The Appellate Authority
Northern Railway
Divisional Railway Manager’s Office
Lucknow Division, Hazaratganj
Lucknow
4. Officer in charge, NIC
5. Press E Group, CIC