CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
.....
F.No.CIC/AT/A/2008/01322 to 1328 (7 Appeals)
Dated, the 11th February, 2009.
Appellant : Shri Gopal Soni
Respondents : The New India Assurance Company Limited
These 8 second-appeals came up for hearing on 11.02.2009 in response to
Commission’s notice dated 12.01.2009. Appellant was present in person, while
the respondents were represented by Shri P.K. Sinha, Chief Manager.
2. This appellant is a serial petitioner. He had filed a large number of
petitions earlier which were disposed of by the Commission through its several
orders in which the Commission had mentioned that “the appellant had made a
very large number of queries focused on a single item of information not so much
to solicit information but to inflict harassment and detriment on the respondents
against whom he nurses a grudge on account of certain proceedings which the
respondents had launched against him”.
3. Now, again he has filed a batch of eight second-appeals in respect of his
RTI-applications dated 03.05.2008, 10.04.2008, 08.04.2008, 19.04.2008,
08.04.2008, 23.03.2008 and 25.03.2008.
4. CPIO submitted in his statement that their Company was a commercial
organization and each time the type of frivolous and vexatious queries this
appellant is making is replied to by them, they are wasting valuable resources of
the Company in replying to queries which have absolutely no meaning and are
motivated by nothing more than the appellant’s own pique against the
respondents. He urged that the public authority, which was a commercial entity,
needed to be protected against the manoeuverings of such appellants, who
despite being an employee of the public authority nursed hostility against it for
no better reason than the fact that the public authority was attempting to
discipline him.
5. Commission noted the concerns of the public authority.
6. Commission also noted that the appellant was unusually emphatic about
his submissions and his criticism of the public authority for not giving him the
type of information he has been soliciting now and from time to time.
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7. However, considering the fact that this appellant has been registering
substantial number of queries all aimed at eliciting information of a detailed
nature which all add up to a sizeable volume, I hold that the cumulative effect of
these information on the respondents is that it diverts their resources and thereby
attracts Section 7(9) of the RTI Act.
8. In view of the above, it is directed that there shall be no disclosure
obligation for these items of information.
9. Appeals disposed of with these directions.
10. Copy of this decision be sent to the parties.
( A.N. TIWARI )
INFORMATION COMMISSIONER
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