Central Information Commission
Appeal No.CIC/SM/A/2009/000026 dated 08-05-2008
Right to Information Act-2005-Under Section (19)
Dated: 5 November 2009
Name of the Appellant : Smt. Renuka Sharma
H.No.449, Banthu Bhawan,
Nankari IIT Kanpur.
Name of the Public Authority : CPIO, Central Bank of India,
Regional Office,
Kanpur.
The Appellant was present in person.
No one was present on behalf of the Respondent.
2. In this case, the Appellant had, in her application dated May 8, 2008,
requested the CPIO for a number of information concerning one Ashok
Chawla, an employee of the Bank. The CPIO replied on June 2, 2008 and
denied the information stating that Shri Chawla had been consulted in the
matter as per the provision of Section 11 of the Right to Information (RTI)
Act and that he had objected to disclosure of such information to anyone
and therefore the desired information could not be given. Not satisfied with
this reply, she appealed to the first Appellate Authority on August 9, 2008.
It is not clear if the Appellate Authority considered her appeal and passed
any order. She has come before us in second appeal seeking direction to the
CPIO for providing the desired information.
3. We heard this case through videoconferencing. The Appellant was
present in the Kanpur studio of the NIC whereas the Respondent was not
present in the Lucknow studio in spite of notice. We carefully examined her
request for information. All that the Appellant had wanted to know was
whether this particular employee had been availing of both the HRA and
medical reimbursement/allowance from the Bank and since when. She also
wanted a certified copy of the order/document, if any, showing his
CIC/SM/A/2009/000026
entitlement to avail of these facilities. We do not understand how such
information can be denied by claiming it to be in the nature of personal
information. After all, salaries and other allowances paid to their employees
have to be proactively disclosed by the public authority as per the provision
of Section 4(1) (b) (x) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
4. In view of the above, we direct the CPIO to provide to the Appellant
within 10 working days from receipt of this order, the above information
along with certified photocopies of the pay-slips or any other records or
orders showing that the said employee has been availing of both these
facilities from the Bank and that he is entitled to the same.
5. With the above direction, the appeal is disposed off.
6. Copies of this order be given free of cost to the parties.
(Satyananda Mishra)
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)
Assistant Registrar
CIC/SM/A/2009/000026