Information regarding deceased’s bank account – It can be disclosed only to the successor of the account holder as per the succession certificate
20 Jul, 2013O R D E R
RTI application
1. The appellant filed an RTI application with the PIO on 22.12.2011 seeking details of amount with accrued interest in respect of a certain term deposit that became due on 13.9.1998. The PIO denied the information on 15.2.2012 on the ground of third party information. The appellant filed an appeal on 5.3.2012 with the first appellate authority (FAA). The FAA upheld the reply of PIO on 17.4.2012. The appellant approached the Commission on 20.7.2012 in second appeal.
Hearing
2. The appellant and the respondent both participated in the hearing through video conferencing
3. The appellant referred to his RTI application of 22.12.2011 and stated that he wanted to know the details of the amount along with accrued interest in a term deposit made in the bank by his father. The appellant stated that he is seeking information about an account which was of his father.
4. The respondent stated that the fact was not known to the bank that the appellant was seeking information as a son of the account holder, as he never mentioned this fact to the respondent. The respondent further stated that the matter as to who is the successor of the account holder has separately been settled by the civil court, according to which the appellant is not mentioned in the succession certificate. The respondent stated that the person mentioned in the Succession Certificate is the successor of the account holder and the information has already been provided to him.
5. The appellant stated that he has already provided the legal proof to the bank about his rights.
6. The respondent stated that the appellant has not given any papers to the bank and that the bank has already acted upon the succession certificate issued by the Court by providing the information about the account holder to the person mentioned as the legal successor in the succession certificate.
7. The approach of the bank in the matter is in conformity with the RTI Act.
Decision
8. No intervention of the Commission is required in the matter. The appeal is disposed of.
(Vijai Sharma)
Information Commission
Citation: Shri G. Suresh v. State Bank of India in Decision No. CIC/VS/A/2012/001001/04008