Public Authority should retain proof of destruction of records
26 Nov, 2012Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Air India seeking information on some queries pertaining to his outstanding dues. The Public Information Officer (PIO) provided point wise information to the appellant.
Proceeding
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the respondent stated the Annuity/ Salary slips for each month had been provided whereas the revised salary slips for the mentioned period could not be provided as the same are generated by the EDP Department on Main Frame System for the complete Region as a whole. Therefore, the appellant was provided annuity slips for the aforementioned period in lieu of salary slips.
Regarding payment of arrears, the respondent submitted that the appellant was paid Rs. 8721.33 towards the interim relief for the period 1.9.1990 to 1.4.1991. The payment of interim relief was paid separately to employees of Corporation and was later on adjusted at the time of final payment on account of wage arrears and that it was evident from the payment details Rs. 16622 that during the period April 1991 to June 1991 only the Annuity amount was shown as Amount paid. Interim Relief payment was not incorporated in amount paid while calculating the arrears. In the column amount payable revised salary figures were included and hence the arrears were finally paid to him. Regarding the Qualification Allowance the respondent submitted that the appellant was paid Rs. 14,420 towards Qualification Allowance.
Regarding destruction of records, the respondent submitted that the records are not destructed by any individual but by the Committee and that as per law the subsidiary records like cash/bank vouchers are required to be kept for 8 years only. The appellant insisted to know the mode of payment like STA, Qualification Allowance, Telephone Pay, and Kit Maintenance. The respondent clarified to him that the payment of Kit maintenance and telephone allowance was paid to Pilots separately through vouchers and these records have already been destroyed.
View of CIC
The Central Information Commission (CIC) directed the PIO to provide copy of the approval of Competent Authority for destroying the records of the mentioned period to the appellant. Regarding the rest of the information the Commission rejected the appeal observing that requisite information has been provided to the appellant.
Citation: Mr. C.P. Gupta v. Air India in Case No. CIC/SS/A/2012/0000966
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2012/CIC/826
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