Details of air travel done by the Vice Chancellor of IGNOU & the purpose was sought - The appellant was not present to demonstrate larger public interest in the present case - CIC: Information relates to personal information of third party; Denial upheld
28 Oct, 2019Information Sought:
The appellant has sought the following information in respect of Vice Chancellor Prof. T.V. Kattimani:
- Details of air travel done by Prof. T.V. Kattimani since his joining till September 2017 as Vice Chancellor.
- Information regarding purpose of air travel journeys performed.
- Details of vouchers and bills of air travel done by Prof. T.V. Kattimani since his joining to September 2017.
Grounds for Second Appeal
The CPIO did not provide the desired information.
Submissions made by Appellant and Respondent during Hearing:
The Appellant has not availed of the opportunity to plead his case despite duly served notice on 18.09.2019 vide speed post acknowledgment no. ED275652496IN.
The CPIO submitted that the RTI application was received on 09.10.2017 and an interim reply was provided on 31.10.2017. He further submitted that a final reply was given on 06.12.2017. On a query by the Commission he submitted that no first appeal was received by them.
Observations:
Based on a perusal of the records, it is noted that an apt reply was given vide letter dated 06.12.2017. However, it was unnecessarily delayed. The information related to personal information of third party and it should have been denied in the earlier reply dated 31.10.2017 to prevent delay.
Decision:
The appellant was not present to demonstrate larger public interest in the present case. Hence, the Commission finds no scope for any intervention in the matter. The Commission accordingly upholds the submissions of the CPIO but places on record the fact that this reply as given in December 2017 should have been given within the prescribed time limit more so when it was being denied under an exemption clause of the Act.
The appeal is disposed of accordingly.
Vanaja N. Sarna
Information Commissioner
Citation: Mohd. Shoaib Jakariya v. Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Decision no.: CIC/IGNOU/A/2018/122303/01824, Date of Decision: 10.10.2019