Appellant: a large amount of money is lying in the suspense account of various banks, particularly the private banks & information regarding the same must be available in the public domain - PIO: information is now available on each bank’s respective site
17 Jun, 2014Appellant: a large amount of money is lying in the suspense account of various banks, particularly the private banks & information regarding the same must be available in the public domain - PIO: information is now available on each bank’s respective website - PIO: as per the Banking Regulations Act, if the amount is not claimed for 10 years, the same is credited to Depositors Education Awareness Fund - CIC: the RBI to consider the suggestion regarding making the details of money available in suspense account in various banks on the RBI’s website also
Facts:
1. The appellant, Shri Subhash Chandra Agrawal, submitted RTI application dated 30 January 2013 before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), Reserve Bank of India, New Delhi; seeking complete information together with documents/ correspondence/ filenotings on specified aspects relating to submissions ‘Welcome RBI initiative for funds in inoperative bank accounts’ (RBIBK/E/2013/00135) dated 30.1.2013, through a total of 11 points.
2. Vide reply dated 26 February 2013, CPIO, Deptt. of Banking Supervision; furnished information pertaining to his Department sought in point no.2 and denied information on point no. 10 on the ground that they had no information to furnish in that regard. Not satisfied with the CPIO’s reply, the appellant preferred appeal dated 1 March 2013 to the first appellate authority (FAA) saying the CPIO had furnished vague and general information. Vide reply dated 8 March 2013, CPIO, Deptt. of Banking Operations & Development; furnished information sought in point nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and denied information on point no. 7, 8 & 10 on the ground that they had no information on these points. Not satisfied with the CPIO’s reply on point nos. 3, 7, 8, 10, 9, 4 & 6, the appellant preferred appeal dated 12 March 2013 to the first appellate authority (FAA). Vide order dated 26 march 2013 against the first appeal filed against the CPIO reply dated 8. 3. 2013, FAA upheld the CPIO’s reply and also explained the same. No FAA order has been passed in response of the first appeal filed against the reply of CPIO, Deptt. of Banking Supervision dated 26.2.2013.
3. Not satisfied with the response of the public authority, the appellant preferred second appeal before the Commission.
4. The appellant, Shri Subhash Chandra Agrawal, was present at the hearing in person. The respondent, Shri Abhilash, Assistant Legal Advisor, made submissions through videoconferencing from Mumbai.
5. The appellant submitted that large amounts of money is lying in the suspense account of various banks, particularly the private banks, and information regarding the same must be available in the public domain.
6. It was submitted by the CPIO that several RTI activists had taken up the issue regarding the money lying in suspense accounts and the Reserve Bank of India had instructed the banks to put this information on their websites. He added that information sought regarding the amounts lying in suspense account are now available on each bank’s respective website. As far as information regarding the Depositor Education Awareness Fund is concerned, as per the Banking Regulations Act, if the amount is not claimed for 10 years, the same is credited to Depositors Education Awareness Fund. If, however, a customer claims the amount, the ‘Fund’ will refund the amount to the bank concerned and the bank in turn to the claimant.
7. The appellant further requested the RBI to make available the details of money being deposited in the suspense accounts of all the banks in a consolidated form on their website. It would indeed be helpful if the RBI could place the information received from all banks on their website. The CPIO acknowledged the same.
Decision Notice
8. The Commission upholds the CPIO’s submissions as the information as held by them has been provided to the appellant. The respondent may, however, like to consider the suggestion regarding making the details of money available in suspense account in various banks on the RBI’s website also. The appeal is disposed of and the case is closed.
(Manjula Prasher)
Information Commissioner
Citation: Shri Subhash Chandra Agrawal v. Reserve Bank of India in Appeal: No. CIC/VS/A/2013/000735/MP