CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
.....
F.No.CIC/AT/C/2008/00298
Dated, the 29th December, 2008
Complainant : Shri Suraj Mehta
Respondents : Oriental Insurance Company Limited
In response to Commission’s notices dated 29.10.2008 and 26.11.2008,
this matter came up for hearing on 18.12.2008. Complainant was absent,
whereas respondents were present through R.K. Bhagat, Divisional Manager and
Shri Dinesh Verma, Deputy Manager.
2. During the hearing, it was pointed out by the Commission to the
respondents that the chronology of events submitted by them was full of errors
and was not in consonance with the submissions made by the respondents during
the hearing. According to what was submitted orally at the Commission’s
hearing by the respondents, the brief chronology of events is as follows:-
Date Event
26.11.2007 Complainant filed his RTI-application
26.11.2007 Divisional Office of the public authority received the
RTI-application
27.11.2007 RTI-application was forwarded by the Divisional
Office to the Regional Office for supply of
information
03.03.2008 Divisional Office reminded Regional Office
12.03.2008 Regional Office replied to Divisional Office
14.03.2008 Divisional Office furnished reply to the complainant
3. Commission doesn’t have anything other than the oral submissions of the
respondents to verify whether their averments were borne out by the actual
records. As such, this matter needs to be examined by a senior officer of the
public authority.
4. Accordingly, Appellate Authority, Shri S.K. Chanana, General Manager is
hereby directed to hold an enquiry as to how the RTI-application of the
complainant dated 26.11.2007 and transferred on 27.11.2007 (as reported by
Shri R.K. Bhagat, Divisional Manager) to the CPIO never reached the latter’s
office who came to know about the presence of the RTI-application only when
the Divisional Office sent a reminder dated 03.03.2008 to the CPIO. It was only
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then that the CPIO provided the information to the complainant. The facts stated
as reasons for these delays need to be closely scrutinized, which Appellate
Authority, Shri S.K. Chanana is requested to do within four weeks of the receipt
of this order. The report in this regard shall be submitted to the Commission
soon after the above time-schedule is over.
5. Matter shall be decided after the receipt of the report of the Appellate
Authority.
6. Copy of this decision be sent to the parties.
( A.N. TIWARI )
INFORMATION COMMISSIONER
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