A retired railways employee sought information about action taken on a certain letter for medical allowance - CIC: provide certified copy of notings of the competent authority & status update of the action taken on the option form submitted by appellant
21 Mar, 2014ORDER
RTI application:
1. The appellant filed an RTI application on 16.05.2012 seeking information pertaining to action taken on a certain letter for medical allowance after retirement.
2. The CPIO responded on 12.06.2012. The appellant filed his first appeal on 09.08.012 with the first appellate authority (FAA). The FAA response is not on record. The appellant filed a second appeal on 19.10.2012 with the Commission.
Hearing:
3. The appellant and the respondent both participated in the hearing through video conferencing.
4. The appellant referred to his RTI application of 16.05.2012 and stated that he had sought information on the following 3 points:
(i) certified copy of the notings of the competent authority on the appellant's letter dated 28.03.2012;
(ii) reasons for not taking any comments or orders from the competent authority; and
(iii) action taken on the appellant's reminder dated 23.04.2012.
5. The appellant stated that he retired from the railways in 2001 and had submitted the option form for availing of medical benefits. The appellant stated that there were two options, i.e.,
(i) medical facility; and
(ii) medical allowance.
The appellant stated that he has opted medical allowance, but the respondent organization is not giving any satisfactory response, leading to great harassment of the appellant.
6. The respondent stated that on 10.12.2013, they had written to the appellant to deposit the requisite amount for availing the medical benefits. The respondent said that the appellant has not submitted the option form for medical benefits.
7.The appellant stated that the respondent organization informed him on 19.08.2011 about the filling of the option form and he had submitted the option form on 25.08.2011 by giving the option of medical allowance.
8. What emerged from the hearing was that the respondent shall provide pointwise detailed information on all the 3 points of the RTI application to the appellant along with the status update on the action taken by the respondent on the option form the appellant had submitted on 25.08.2011.
Decision:
9. The respondent is directed to:
(i) provide to the appellant pointwise detailed information on all the 3 points of the RTI application;
(ii) apprise about the next course of action, and provide a status update of the action taken on the option form submitted by the appellant on 25.08.2011; and
(iii) comply with the above within 30 days of this order.
The appeal is disposed of. Copy of decision be given free of cost to the parties.
(Vijai Sharma)
Information Commissioner
Citation: Shri Ram Narayan v. North Eastern Railway in Decision No.CIC/AD/A/2012/003446/VS/06315