Central Information Commission Judgements

Mr.Rohit Bhardwar vs Cbdt on 6 October, 2010

Central Information Commission
Mr.Rohit Bhardwar vs Cbdt on 6 October, 2010
              Central Information Commission
 Room No.296, II Floor, B Wing, August Kranti Bhawan, Bhikaji Cama 
                      Place, New Delhi­110066
      Telefax:011­26180532 & 011­26107254 website­cic.gov.in

       Complaint/ Appeal : No. CIC/LS/A/2010/000561 

Appellant /Complainant        :      Shri  Rohit Bhardwar, 
Jalandhar
                         (Through video conferencing) 
Public Authority         :     Office of The 
DGIT(Vigilance), NewDelhi
                         (Sh. Adarsh Kumar Modi, Addl. 
DIT(Vig.)/
                         CPIO  and Sh. Rakesh Gupta, 
Addl. DIG(Vig), 
                         DP­II)

Date of Hearing               :      6/10/2010

Date of Decision              :      6/10/2010 

Facts

:­ 

1. The   applicant   Shri   Rohit   Bhardwar   sought 
information   from   the   CPIO,   Department   of   Revenue, 
Ministry   of   Finance   vide   his   RTI   application   of 
16.9.2009 – enclosed herewith as Annexure­A.

2. This   RTI   application   was   forwarded   to   the   CPIO, 
Office   of   DGIT(V)   who   vide   his   order   of   30.10.2009 
provided   information     which   failed   to   satisfy   the 
applicant who then preferred appeal before the FAA. 

3. The   matter   was   disposed   of     vide   FAAO   of 
23.12.2009.

4. The   above   orders   left   the   applicant   dissatisfied 
and   aggrieved   who   then   preferred   second   appeal   before 
the Commission.

5. The matter was heard today.  Appellant was present 
and heard through video conferencing. Respondents were 
present in person as above.  

6. After   hearing   arguments     by   both   parties   in 
details, the appellant  agreed  to exclude Points 4 & 6 
from   his   RTI  application    but   pressed  for   information 
as per points 1 to 3 & 5 of his RTI application. 

7. Respondent   stated   that   they   had     200 
Administrative   Commissioners   controlling   about   3000 
Assessing Officers who each passed about 100 orders per 
annum and therefore by rough calculation about 24 lakhs 
orders   had   been   passed   in   the   period     for   which   the 
applicant   sought   information   (8   years),   therefore,   it 
is   voluminous   task   to   provide   the   requested 
information. 

8. Appellant stated that not more than 8 to 10 cases 
under   each   region   would   have   been   reconsidered   under 
section   263   of   the   Income   Tax   Act   and   therefore,   the 
task  was not as huge as it was made out to be.

9. The   period   for   which   information   was   sought     is 
1.8.2001 to 16.9.2009.  

Decision

10. It   is   noted   that   the   RTI   application     was 
forwarded   by   CIG(IT&CT)   to   the   Director,   ITJ   vide 
their   letter   of   9.11.2009l   as   he   was   the   holder   of 
information.   However,   it appears that no action was 
taken by them to respond to the appellant.   Action to 
be taken by the respondents is as follows :­

(a) Director,   IT(J)   is   directed   to   provide   his 
e­mail   address   to   the   appellant     whose 
telephone  No.  is 9915280405  within   one week 
of the receipt of the order.

(b) The appellant will provide soft copy of his 
RTI application (excluding Points 4 & 6) of 
the   original   RTI   application   to   Director, 
IT(J)   at   his   e­mail   address   along   with 
prescribed fee of Rs. 10/­ in respect of all 
200 CPIOs i.e., 200 x Rs.10/­ = Rs.2,000/­. 

(c) On  receiving   the above  Director,  IT(J)  will 
within   5   working   days   electronically 
transfer questions 1 & 2 to the CPIOs in the 
Offices   of   the   Administrative   Commissioners 
(CITs) across the country with directions to 
provide   information   to   the   appellant 
directly   within   4   weeks     of   receipt   of   the 
RTI   application     since   prescribed   fee   has 
already been deposited at Headquarters. 

(d) CPIO and Addl. DIG(V) is directed to provide 
information   pertaining   to   points   3   &   5   of 
the   original   RTI   application   to   the 
appellant  within one week of receipt of the 
order.

11. Notice   is   also   given   to   Director,   IT(J)   to   show 
cause why penalty   should not be imposed   on him for 
not  having responded to the appellant within the time 
frame   prescribed   under   the   RTI   Act,     opportunity   of 
personal hearing is provided to him on 10.11.2010   at 
11.00 AM and he is   directed to be present along with 
all necessary documents. 

 

(Smt. Deepak Sandhu)
Information Commissioner (DS)
Authenticated true copy:

(Tarun Kumar)
Jt. Secretary & Addl. Registrar

 

Copy to:­

1. Shri Rohit Bhardwar
34/1, Hamamdasspura
Sewak Ram Hospital
Kapurthala Road, Jallandhar (PB)
 

2. Shri Adarsh Kumar Modi
Addl. DIT(V), O/O DGIT(Vig.)
Deen Dalyal Upadhyay Marg,
New Delhi – 110002.

3. The Appellate Authority
O/O DGIT(Vig.)
Deen Dalyal Upadhyay Marg,
New Delhi – 110002.