Central Information Commission
CIC/AD/C/09/00124
Dated March 12, 2009
Name of the Applicant : Mr.Premanand
Name of the Public Authority : Regional Passport Office, Bangalore
Background
1. The Applicant filed an RTI application dt.7.9.07 with the CPIO, RPO,
Bangalore. He requested for information regarding the passport of one Mr.
Rafique Ameen Kittur. The CPIO replied on 20.9.07 denying information u/s
8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. The applicant then filed a complaint dt.nil before the
CIC.
2. The Bench of Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, Information Commissioner, scheduled the
hearing for March 12, 2009.
3. Mr. R. Ravindra, Regional Passport Officer & CPIO represented the Public
Authority.
4. The Applicant was not present during the hearing.
Decision
5. The Respondent stated that vide letter dt. 30.8.06, the Divisional Forest
Officer, Haliyal Division, informed the Appellant that the office has no
information or documents about Mr. Rafique Ameen Kittur’s alleged travel
abroad. He further stated that the Divisional Forest Officer, Dhandeli has
certified that during the period he was allegedly outside India, he was actually
attending to his work at the office. The Divisional Forest Officer Haliyal
Division in a letter dt. 30.8.06 also enclosed a letter from the Under
Secretary, Forest Environment and Biological Sciences dt. 14.7.05 in which it
was stated that CAT Bangalore while deciding on Mr. Rafique Ameen Kittur’s
case has ordered on 11.2.05 to regularize his services (of Mr. Kuttur).
6. After hearing the arguments put forth by the Respondent, the Commission
holds that it is not upto the Commission to question the CAT decision to
regularize the services of Mr. Kittur nor the certificate of attendance provided
by the Divisional Forest Officer. Since both CAT and the Office have cleared
Mr. Kittur of charges of having traveled abroad during the said period, the
Commission denies disclosure of passport details of Mr. Kittur to the Appellant
on the ground that it is personal information of a third party, the disclosure of
which has no relationship to any public activity or interest and accordingly
rejects the appeal.
(Annapurna Dixit)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy:
(K.G.Nair)
Designated Officer
Cc:
1. Mr.Premanand
S/o Vishnu Gawas
R/o Dandeli
Tal : Haliyal
Dist : Uttarakannada
Karnataka
2. The CPIO
Regional Passport Office
Ministry of External Affairs
80 Feet Road, 8th Block
Koramangala
Bangalore
3. Officer in charge, NIC
4. Press E Group, CIC