The disease which appellant’s husband was suffering as provided to the LIC by the hospital concerned was denied u/s 8(1)(e) - Respondent advised the appellant advised to contact the hospital - CIC: adequate information provided, order of PIO upheld
5 Jun, 2015ORDER
1. The appellant, Smt. Anita Bhardwaj, submitted RTI application dated 7 May 2013 before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), Life Insurance Corporation of India, New Delhi; seeking information regarding non settlement of death claim of her deceased husband Shri Rajeev Bhardwaj’s policy no. 116606910 etc., through a total of 4 points.
2. Vide reply dated 15 May 2013, CPIO denied information on point no. 1 regarding the record of ailments/disease u/s 8(1) (e) of the RTI Act; furnished information on point no. 2 and again denied information on point nos. 3 & 4 on the ground that the information sought was not specific. Not satisfied by the CPIO’s reply, the appellant preferred an appeal dated 31 May 2013 to the first appellate authority (FAA) alleging that she had been provided incomplete and vague information by the CPIO concerned. The FAA vide order dated 16 July 2013, upheld the CPIO’s decision.
3. Dissatisfied with the response of the public authority, the appellant preferred second appeal before the Commission.
4. The matter was heard by the Commission. The CPIO stated that the appellant had sought information regarding death claim of her husband Late Rajeev Bhardwaj against Policy No. 116606910. The appellant sought to know from which disease her husband was suffering as provided to the LIC of India by the hospital concerned. The information was denied to the appellant u/s 8(1)(e) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen, information available to a person in his fiduciary relationship, unless the competent authority is satisfied that the larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information; of the RTI Act as this record was obtained by the respondents from the hospital in the course of investigation in the claim case. The respondents had advised the appellant to contact the hospital in this regard. The appellant had been repeatedly requested to submit details of disease of her husband to be able to settle the claim. The appellant had however not provided the requisite information. They added that they shall examine the case for settlement of the claim on merits.
5. As far as information part is concerned, the Commission finds that the respondents had adequately responded to the queries/information sought by the appellant. The appeal is disposed of.
(Manjula Prasher)
Information Commissioner
Citation: Smt. Anita Bhardwaj v. Life Insurance Corporation of India in Appeal: No. CIC/MP/A/2013/000052