Central Information Commission
*****
No.CIC/OK/A/2008/01058
Dated: 18 September 2008
Name of the Appellant : Ms. Rita Goyal
#402, Vinayak Apartment
North Vijay Nagar Colony, Agra
Name of the Public Authority : Regional Passport Office, Ghaziabad
Background:
Ms. Rita Goyal of Agra filed an RTI-application with the Public Information
Officer, Regional Passport Office, Ghaziabad, on 3 May 2008, seeking
information regarding the appointment given by the Passport Office in
connection with her Passport application No.GZB100354108.
2. The PIO vide his letter dated 12 June 2008 replied to the RTI-application.
In the meanwhile, the Appellant filed an appeal with the first Appellate
Authority on 6 June 2008 who vide his letter dated 24 June 2008 replied to it.
Thereafter, the Appellant approached the Central Information Commission with
a Second Appeal on 18 July 2008, which was registered in the Commission on 18
August 2008.
3. The Bench of Dr. O.P. Kejariwal, Information Commissioner, heard the
matter on 8 September 2008.
4. Shri Amendra Kumar Sengar, Passport Officer & PIO and Shri R.N. Rai,
represented the Respondents.
5. The Appellant, Ms. Rita Goyal, was represented by Shri Abhishek Goyal.
Decision:
6. The Commission heard both the sides and listened to a tale of harassment
and neglect faced by the Appellant in receiving his Passport together with that
of the members of his family. The Applicant recounted the instance when his
elder parents had to wait outside the office and were not allowed in spite of the
fact that time had been given by the Passport Office. Also during the hearing, it
emerged that the Passport of the Applicant had not been issued because,
according to the Respondents, a penalty of Rs.1,000/- had not been paid by the
Appellant. This penalty had been imposed on the Appellant for having applied
for a passport earlier (2005) and suppressed the information from the
Respondents. The Appellant, on the other hand, stated that he had never
received this notice for penalty. In fact, even as on date, he has no such notice
in his hand. The Respondents have tried to explain the different reasons why
the passport in this case has not been issued. It is difficult for the Commission
to go into each detail of the Appellant’s complaint and the explanations of the
Respondents but what is established is that the Passport applicant has indeed
been harassed. The Commission, therefore, directs the Respondents to
streamline their procedures so that such harassment is not faced by the Passport
applicants. The Commission recommends that these procedures are in place by
17 October 2008.
7. In the meanwhile, the Commission also directs the Respondents to call
the Applicant at a convenient time to the Office, sort out the matters over the
table, and see if the passports can be issued within a fortnight.
8. The Commission ordered accordingly.
Sd/-
(O.P. Kejariwal)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy:
Sd/-
(G. Subramanian)
Assistant Registrar
Cc:
1. Ms. Rita Goyal, #402, Vinayak Apartment, North Vijay Nagar Colony, Agra
2. The Public Information Officer, Passport Office, Ghaziabad, C.G.O.
Complex-I, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Hapur Road, Ghaziabad
3. The Appellate Authority, Passport Office, Ghaziabad, C.G.O. Complex-I,
Kamla Nehru Nagar, Hapur Road, Ghaziabad
4. Officer Incharge, NIC
5. Press E Group, CIC