CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
.....
F.No.CIC/AT/A/2008/00665
Dated, the 17th November, 2008.
Appellant : Shri Girish Sanghavi
Respondents : The New India Assurance Company Limited
This matter came up for hearing on 12.11.2008. Appellant was absent in
response to Commission’s hearing notice dated 12.09.2008. Respondents were
present through Shri P.K. Sinha, Chief Manager and Shri A.K. Malhotra, Deputy
Manager.
2. The origins of this appeal lies in appellant’s RTI-queries dated
09.04.2008. These were not answered by the respondents on the ground that they
were not specific requests for precise information but were queries calling upon
the respondents to explain their conduct corresponding to certain assumptions
which the appellant seems to be having in his mind.
3. The right of an applicant to receive information under the RTI Act is
circumscribed by Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, which enjoins the appellant to seek
information as defined in that Section. As held in Commission’s several earlier
decisions, RTI Act has no room for explanatory queries.
4. Since the queries of the appellant contained in his RTI-application seek to
receive from the respondents explanations, reasons, etc. for certain assumptions
which appellant has raised, the scope of these queries is clearly beyond
Section 2(f) of the RTI Act. Respondents have rightly declined to disclose this
information to the appellant.
5. Appeal fails. Closed.
6. Copy of this decision be sent to the parties.
( A.N. TIWARI )
INFORMATION COMMISSIONER
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