Central Information Commission
CIC/AD/A/09/00319
Dated April 24, 2009
Name of the Applicant : Mr.Ramesh Vithal Vallakathi
Name of the Public Authority : Dept. of Post, Solapur
Background
1. The Applicant filed an RTI application dt15.10.08 with the CPIO, DoP, Solapur. He
requested for the following information:
i) The procedure nowadays adopted to recover electric bills from the occupants
of quarters BI/II.
ii) Copies of electricity bills of quarter B-I consumer No.330240154153 for the
months of Oct.2003, Dec.2003, Feb.2004 and April 2004.
iii) Rate of license fees for Type II/B staff quarters during April 2003 to
December 2005.
iv) Copy of compliance report on ICI para No.4 in the month of March 2003
v) Electricity consumer No. of Type III C-I (Sr.PM’s quarters) & Type III C-II
(Rest room of RMS HB Division)
vi) Monthwise electricity bills for Type III C-I and C-II durig April 2003 to
Dec.2005
vii) Copy of the SSPOs letter dt.13.11.06.
The CPIO replied on 14.11.08 as follows:
i) The occupants are paying their bills directly themselves.
ii) As regards copies of the electricity bills pertaining to the quarter, it is to
intimate that the paid vouchers upto Rs.50/- retained by Solapur HO, vouchers upto
Rs.200/- are preserved at D.O upto the prescribed period of preservation and the
vouchers beyond Rs.200/- are sent to Director of Accounts, Nagpur
iii) The rate of license fees from April 2003 to 30.6.04 is Rs.120/- per month and
from 1.7.04 to 31.12.05 is Rs.143/- per month.
iv) Copy enclosed
v) Type III Quarter (H B Division RO) Consumer No.330240005701
Sr.Postmaster Solapur HO Quarter Consumer No.330240005719
vi) Record not available i.r.o Sr.Postmaster Quarter upto 5.12.04, subsequent
record is enclosed herewith for CI and CII.
vii) Copy enclosed.
Not satisfied with the reply, the Applicant filed an appeal dt.11.12.08 with the
Appellate Authority. The Appellate Authority replied on 9.1.09 stating that from the
CPIO’s letter it seems that the Appellant has requested for supply of copies of
electricity bills and that the Appellant has not mentioned the amount of the bills and
hence the CPIO has replied that paid vouchers upto Rs.50/- are retained by Solapur
HO, and vouchers upto Rs.200/- are preserved at D.O. for the prescribed period of
preservation and vouchers beyond Rs. 200/- are sent to DA(P), Nagpur. As regards
monthly electricity bills for the Sr. PM quarters for the period April, 2003 to
December 2005, the records are available with Sr. PM, Solapur H.O and as such the
CPIO should have provided the information to the Applicant. He further stated that
the action taken by CPIO is not correct and directed the CPIO to supply the
information within 8 days. The CPIO wrote a letter to Director of Accounts (Postal) on
15.1.09 directing him to send copies of 4 paid electricity bills directly to the Applicant
under intimation to him. Not satisfied with this reply, the Applicant filed a second
appeal dt.23.2.09 with the CIC stating that he did not receive any information from
the CPIO.
2. The Bench of Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, Information Commissioner, scheduled the
hearing for April 24, 2009.
3. Both the Appellant and the Respondent were absent at the hearing.
Decision
4. The Commission observed that the CPIO wrote a letter to the Commission on
24.4.09 stating that the contention of the Applicant that he had not replied to him is
not correct since as per the Order of the First Appellate Authority the matter was
referred to the Director of Accounts (Postal) Nagpur for supply of copies of paid
electricity bills, vouchers directly to the Appellant vide letter dated 15.1.09 (he
enclosed a copy of this letter), under intimation to the Appellant. However, the
Director of Accounts reported vide letter dated 9.4.09, to the Applicant that the
preservation period of NPC bills is for three years and that the NPC bills from
October 2003 to December, 2003 were destroyed in March, 2007 and NPC bills from
February 2004 to April, 2004 in March 2008. Hence records sought by the Appellant
cannot be provided. In view of this submission from the CPIO, the Commission holds
that no information could provided since it was not available due to the policy being
adopted for preservation of records.
5. The Commission accordingly disposes off the appeal.
(Annapurna Dixit)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy:
(G.Subramanian)
Asst. Registrar
Cc:
1. Mr.Ramesh Vithal Vallakathi
1815 E, Gharkul
Hyderabad Road
Solapur 413 005
2. Mr.B.U.Bhatkar
The CPIO &
Sr.Supdt. of Post Offices
Department of Posts
Solapur Division
Solapur 413 001
3. The Appellate Authority &
Director Postal Services
Department of Posts
O/o Post Master General
Pune Region
Pune 411 001
4. Officer in charge, NIC
5. Press E Group, CIC