Central Information Commission
Complaint No.CIC/PB/C/2008/00813-SM dated 01.10.2007
Right to Information Act-2005-Under Section (18)
Dated: 20 July 2009
Name of the Complainant : Shri Umeshwar Singh,
Vill. Mungila, Post Shankarpur,
Imamganj, Distt. Patna, Bihar.
Name of the Public Authority : CPIO, Punjab National Bank,
Imamganj Branch, Patna, Bihar.
Neither the Complainant nor the Respondent was present for the
hearing.
2. In this case, the Appellant had requested the CPIO/Branch Manager in
his application dated 1 October 2007 for a number of information regarding
a variety of loans sanctioned by the Branch under the Kissan Credit Cards,
Tractor Loans, PMRY, Scheduled Castes and Minorities categories between
June and September 2007. On not receiving any reply within the stipulated
period, he sent an appeal to the Appellate Authority on 9 February 2008.
Yet again, he received no response and, thereafter, sent the second appeal
to the CIC on 25 July 2008.
3. In spite of notice, neither party was present during the hearing. The
attitude of the CPIO and the Public Authority does not appear to be positive
as far as their responsibility under the Right to Information (RTI) Act is
concerned. Nothing else can explain the total lack of response on the part
of both the CPIO and the Appellate Authority in this case. The conduct of
the CPIO in not providing the information within the stipulated period
invites the maximum penalty under Section 20 of the Right to Information
(RTI) Act. However, before imposing the penalty, we would like him to
explain in writing the reasons for the delay. If we do not hear from him
within 10 working days from the receipt of this order, we will presume that
CIC/PB/C/2008/00813-SM
he has no satisfactory explanation for the delay and shall impose the
maximum penalty under this Section.
4. Besides, we also direct him to provide to the Appellant all the
information he had sought within the same period of 10 working days from
the receipt of this order. If, for any valid reason, he decides not to disclose
any information, he shall give the reasons and the provision of the Right to
Information (RTI) Act under which he does not want to disclose the said
information.
5. With the above directions, the appeal is disposed of.
6. 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/PB/C/2008/00813-SM