Can a copy of letter pertaining to the ATM be disclosed under RTI?
4 Dec, 2012Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the State Bank of India (SBI) seeking information regarding the norms for issuing ATM security PIN code number to account holders, the number of ATM security PIN codes issued in a particular period and other related information. The Public Information Officer (PIO) provided point wise reply.
Proceeding
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the appellant stated that he had suffered a loss of Rs. 16,000/- on account of the connivance of the bank with the courier system used by the bank. The appellant also submitted that the bank had acted with a malafide intention by not sending him his security pin code but also made him suffer a loss. He was seeking a copy of the letter pertaining to the ATM dispatched to him but the bank was denying him that information. The respondent stated that the information was not available in the bank as the records had been lost. The respondent also stated that the ATM card was always sent to the address of the account holder whereas the security pin code mailer was given personally by inviting the ATM account holder to the branch. The respondent stated that the account holder had received the ATM card but he had not received the security pin code mailer and it was the pin mailer receipt that was missing in the bank. The appellant stated that he neither received ATM card nor the security pin code.
View of CIC
The Commission observed that the respondent is obliged to provide the information sought in the RTI application because it relates to the day to day banking services. The Commission directed to provide the available information on an affidavit.
Citation: Mr. Kishan Lal v. State Bank of India in Decision No. CIC/DS/A/2011/003186/VS/01318
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2012/CIC/843
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission