Alleging that a bank employee had entered into a second marriage, the appellant sought some information - the queries raised seek views & are not covered under the definition of information u/s 2(f) - CIC: provide a copy of the disciplinary rules
20 Apr, 2014Facts
This matter pertains to an RTI application filed by the Appellant on 2.11.2012, seeking information on twenty points pertaining to various issues. The CPIO responded on 5.12.2012. Not satisfied with the reply of the CPIO, the Appellant filed an appeal to the First Appellate Authority on 29.12.2012. He approached the CIC in second appeal on 9.4.2013.
2. We heard the submissions of the Appellant and the Respondents. The Appellant stated that his queries were regarding an employee of the bank who, he alleged, had contracted a second marriage. He further stated that he had not been provided the information sought by him. He had a grievance that the Respondent bank had not taken necessary action against the erring employee. The Appellant also stated that the First Appellate Authority had not passed an order on his appeal. The Respondents stated that a large number of queries in the RTI application were in the nature of seeking the views of the Respondents and did not fall in the category of ‘information’ as defined in section 2 (f) of the RTI Act. We note that a number of queries in the RTI application were indeed of that nature. The Respondents further submitted that the First Appellate Authority had passed his order on 31.01.2013 and in pursuance of that order, the CPIO had forwarded to the Appellant a copy of the disciplinary rules of the bank on 9.2.2013. The appellant stated that he had not received the above information. The CPIO is directed to forward another copy of his letter dated 09.02.2013 to the Appellant, within seven days of the receipt of this order, under intimation to the Commission. As far as the grievances of the Appellant regarding the bank’s employee in question are concerned, it was stated during today’s hearing that the matter is already before a court.
3. With the above direction and observations, the appeal is disposed of.
4. Copies of this order be given free of cost to the parties.
(Sharat Sabharwal)
Information Commissioner
Citation: Shri Arun Kumar Ojha v. Union Bank of India in File No. CIC/VS/A/2013/000722/SH