Central Information Commission
Appeal No.CIC/SM/A/2009/000103 dated 17-05-2008
Right to Information Act-2005-Under Section (19)
Dated: 20 November 2009
Name of the Appellant : Shri Parsa
R/o 208, Shishgran,
Firozabad - 283 203.
Name of the Public Authority : CPIO, Canara Bank,
Strategic Planning & Development
Wing, Head Office,
112, JC Road,
Bangalore - 560 002.
The Appellant was present in person.
On behalf of the Respondent, Shri Ravindran was present.
2. In this case, the Appellant had, in his application dated May 17, 2008,
requested the CPIO for a copy of the Bank’s Manual/Guideline on death
claim settlement. The CPIO replied on May 27, 2008 declining the
information citing the exemption provisions contained in Section 8(1) (d) of
the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Against this, the Appellant went before
the Appellate Authority on June 9, 2008. That authority disposed of the
appeal in his order dated June 24, 2008 in which he upheld the stand of the
CPIO. Consequently, the Appellant has come before the CIC in second
appeal.
3. We heard this case through videoconferencing. The Appellant was
present in the Ferozabad studio of the NIC whereas the Respondent was
present in the Bangalore studio. The Respondent argued that the Bank’s
CIC/SM/A/2009/000103
Manual on death claim settlement was a confidential document containing
instructions to the branch managers on how to deal with death claims. He
argued that, if disclosed, it would go into the hands of their competition
and may undermine their competitive position. We found this argument very
unconvincing. After all, if this Manual is only for the use of the branch
managers for processing death claims, there is all the more reason that it
should be in the public domain so that everybody knows how death claims
are settled. We see no reason to exempt this document from disclosure
under the provisions cited by the CPIO. Therefore, we now direct the CPIO
to provide to the Appellant within 10 working days from receipt of this
order, a copy of the Manual on death claim settlement.
4. The case is, thus, disposed off.
5. Copies of this order be given free of cost to the parties.
(Satyananda Mishra)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy. Additional copies of orders shall be supplied
against application and payment of the charges prescribed under the Act to the
CPIO of this Commission.
(Vijay Bhalla)
Assistant Registrar
CIC/SM/A/2009/000103