Central Information Commission
CIC/AD/A/2010/000120
Dated 25th March, 2010
Name of the Applicant : MR. RAMJI TRIPATHI
Name of the Public Authority : N C RAILWAY, ALLAHABAD
Background
1. The Applicant filed his RTI request on 15.09.09 with the PIO, GM Office, N C Railway,
Allahabad seeking information in respect of disabled employees who have been
appointed in the reserved category for such individuals including their names and
addresses, certificates submitted during their appointment etc. The PIO, GM Office, N
C Railway, Allahabad transferred the application on 01.10.09 to the PIO of the
concerned department. The PIO, N C Railway, Allahabad replied on 14.10.09 informing
the Applicant that information sought is voluminous and under Section 7(3) of the RTI
Act, 2005 cannot be provided as it would disproportionately divert the resources of the
Public Authority. Being aggrieved with the reply, the Applicant filed his First Appeal on
20.10.09. The Appellate Authority vide letter dated 16.11.09 provided some
information regarding those employees in the Allahabad Division employed in the
reserved category for disabled people including their names, billing units, designation
and stations. However information about those employed at other stations was not
provided by the Appellate Authority. Not satisfied the reply, the Applicant filed his
Second Appeal before the Commission on 04.12.09 stating that the Public Authority
has denied him information and that information which has been provided is
incomplete.
2. The Bench of Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, Information Commissioner scheduled the
hearing for 25th March, 2010 through video conferencing.
3. Mr. Mudit Chandra, PIO and Mr.S. Kumar, Sr.D.E.E. were present at NIC studio,
Allahabad.
4. Mr. P Pandey represented the Appellant and was present at NIC studio, Allahabad.
Decision
5. During the hearing the Appellant stated that the information including names,
addresses, and designation etc. of a number of disabled employees has not been
provided to him. The Respondent submitted that the information sought by the
Appellant is available in their service records and that the service records 0f 30,000
employees have to be searched in order to be able to locate the service records of the
disabled employees as the service records of such employees are not maintained
separately. He also stated that the 30,000 service records are spread over different
Sections of the Division and in each of the Sections at least 5000 service records have
to be searched to locate the information sought by the Appellant. The Respondent
further added that he had already written to all the sections to provide the
information.
4. The Commission after hearing both sides directs the PIOs of different sections of the
Office to allow inspection of service records of all the employeesby the Appellant in
order to enable the Appellant to locate the information he requires for himself as the
information sought by the Appellant is not only voluminous but compiling the same
would be time consuming and would disproportionately divert the resources of the
Public Authority. The whole exercise of inspection by the Appellant and supply of
photocopies of documents required by him, free of cost, may be completed end May,
2010. The PIO, NC Railway, Allahabad to forward copies of this Order to different
PIOs.
7. The Appeal is accordingly disposed off.
(Annapurna Dixit)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy:
(G. Subramanian)
Deputy Registrar
Cc:
1. Mr. Ramji Tripathi
C/o Messers International Drug House
7/200, Swarup Nagar
Kanpur
Uttar Pradesh
2. The PIO
North Central Railway
Divisional Railway Manager’s Office
Allahabad Division
Allahabad.
3. The Appellate Authority
North Central Railway
Divisional Railway Manager’s Office
Allahabad Division
Allahabad.
4. Officer in charge, NIC
5. Press E Group, CIC
