Central Information Commission
Appeal No.CIC/SM/A/2008/000134 dated 13-05-2008
Right to Information Act-2005-Under Section (19)
Dated: 30 November 2009
Name of the Appellant : Shri Subhash Chander Sharma
Vill & PO - Khaleta, Via - Khol,
Tehsil - Rewari, Haryana - 123 103.
Name of the Public Authority : CPIO, Syndicate Bank,
Regional Office,
Faridabad.
The Appellant was represented by Shri Sanjay Kumar.
On behalf of the Respondent, the following were present:-
(i) Shri Hari Kapoor, DGM,
(ii) Shri Arvind Sharma, Law Officer
This Case was heard on 22 October 2009.
2. In this case, the Appellant had, in his application dated May 13, 2008,
requested the CPIO for the copies of a number of documents concerning the
Savings Bank account number 9528 of one Late Maya Devi. The ACPIO
replied on June 18, 2008 denying the information on the ground that it was
personal in nature and exempt from disclosure under Section 8(1) (j) of the
Right to Information (RTI) Act. Not satisfied with this reply, he approached
the first Appellate Authority on July 10, 2008. The Appellate Authority
decided the appeal in his order dated August 26, 2008 in which he held that
the desired information was held as commercial confidence of a customer of
the Bank and was not to be disclosed to unauthorised persons. He also
stated that the desired information was more than 8 years old and was no
longer available as all such records were to be maintained only for a period
of eight years. It is against this order that the Appellant has come before
the CIC in second appeal.
3. Both the parties were present during the hearing. We heard their
CIC/SM/A/2008/000134
submissions. The desired information is about the account details of a third
party customer of the Bank. Unless there is any larger public interest to be
served by disclosing such information, there is no ground for sharing the
information with those not connected or authorised. If the Appellant
produces a certificate from a competent authority to be the legal heir of
the deceased account holder, then the CPIO shall provide the information
within 10 working days from the date such a certificate is produced before
him. However, if he fails to produce any such certificate, the CPIO will not
be required to provide such information to the Appellant. With this
direction, we dispose off this appeal.
4. 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/2008/000134