CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
Appeal No.2836/ICPB/2008
F. No. PBA/2008/531
September 25, 2008
In the matter of Right to Information Act, 2005 - Section
[Hearing on 16.9.2008 at 3.30 p.m.]
Appellant: Mr. Ravinder Bhimrao Wadhe
Public authority: Department of Financial Services
Mr. Rajinder Sood, CPIO
Mr. Vinita Kumar, Appellate Authority
Parties Present: For Respondent:
Mr. Rajinder Sood, CPIO
Mr. Satinder Kumar, Section Officer
Appellant not present.
FACTS
:
The appellant has sought information under RTI Act by his letter dated 8.8.2007
addressed to CAPIO, Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services requesting
information pertaining to the recruitment of probationary officer, specialist officer in
public sector banks. The PIO vide letter dated 11.9.2007 provided information to the
appellant informing him the Government has granted additional managerial autonomy
including human resource matters vide their letter dated 22.2.2005. He has also
indicated the Banks are authorized to prescribe the eligibility criteria for such posts and
he has also said the eligibility criteria may be varying from Bank to Bank in case if the
appellant is interested in getting information from a particular bank he can seek this
information from the concerned bank since the public sector banks have been treated
as public authorities as per section 2(h) of RTI Act. Dissatisfied with the reply furnished
by the PIO the appellant preferred an appeal on 5.11.2007 in which he has requested
for the copy of the letter dated 22.02.2005 by which Government has granted
managerial autonomy to public sector banks. The AA vide letter dated 22.11.2007 has
disposed of this appeal with a request to the appellant he has to deposit Rs.16/- for
getting a copy of the letter dated 22.2.2005. The appellant has not yet remitted this
amount to the Ministry and on account of which they could not provide a copy of this
letter. This has resulted in filing of this appeal before the Commission on 10.3.2008.
Comments were called for vide letter dated 23.06.2008 which was received from
CAPIO, Ministry of Finance on 11.7.2008. This case was taken up for hearing on
16.9.2008, which was attended by the Under Secretary and CAPIO along with Section
Officer. The appellant did not attend the hearing.
DECISION:
2. I have gone through the RTI application and other replies received in this
connection. The appellant has stated in the second appeal he has submitted the
requisite fee by way of Money Order for getting a copy of the letter. However, the
1
Ministry of Finance has stated that the money order is not a prescribed mode of
transmission for payment of further fees under RTI Act and also they have checked up
from their office and no money order has been received in their office, on account of
which they could not provide a copy of this letter. As far as the reply is concerned both
the CAPIO and AA have taken a stand as per this letter of Ministry of Finance by which
additional managerial autonomy has been granted to public sector banks according to
which they can prescribe their own eligibility criteria for the selection of probationary
officers/special officers etc. However, in case if the appellant can produce a proof of
sending the fee by money order to the PIO, I direct the PIO to give copy of this letter to
the appellant. In case if the appellant could not provide any proof of sending money
order and in case if he is still interested in getting this letter he has to send fees as per
the specifications prescribed under RTI Act. On these lines, the appeal is disposed of.
Let a copy of this decision be sent to the appellant and CPIO.
Sd/-
(Padma Balasubramanian)
Central Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy :
(Prem Singh Sagar)
Under Secretary & Assistant Registrar
Address of parties :
1. Mr. Rajinder Sood, CPIO, Department of Financial Services, Jeevan Deep, 3rd
Floor, Parliament Street, New Delhi.
2. Mr. Vinita Kumar, Appellate Authority, Department of Financial Services, Jeevan
Deep, 3rd Floor, Parliament Street, New Delhi.
3. Mr. Ravinder Bhimrao Wadhe, Behind New Cotton Market, Laxmi Nagar,
Amravati-444604
2