Information in respect of vehicles purchased by LIC for Corporate office was provided - PIO denied compilation of ‘unit wise’ information maintained at 8 Zonal offices & 113 Divisional offices spread across the country - CIC: file separate RTI application
26 Oct, 2013Information relating to vehicles purchased by LIC for its officers - information in respect of vehicles purchased by LIC for Corporate office was provided while the "unit wise" information was maintained at the eight Zonal offices and 113 Divisional offices spread across the country, PIO at the Corporate office cannot compile this information - CIC: appellant should make separate RTI applications to the eight Zonal and 113 Divisional offices of the Corporation
Facts:
1. Appellant submitted RTI application dated 11 May 2012 before the CPIO, LIC of India, Central Office, Mumbai seeking information relating to vehicles purchased by the LIC for its officers, under “Conveyance scheme VI (revised) of the Corporation” for the years 2010-11 and 2011-12 through multiple points.
2. Vide CPIO Order dated 11 June 2012, CPIO provided the requisite information.
3. Not satisfied by the PIO’s reply, the Appellant preferred First Appeal to the First Appellate Authority dated 19 June 2012.
4. Vide FAA Order dated 25 July 2012, the FAA upheld the decision of the CPIO and again provided the information which had been already furnished to the appellant by the CPIO in the form of Annexure I including designation of the officers and address of the office.
5. Being aggrieved and not satisfied by the above response of the Public Authority, the Appellant preferred Second Appeal before the Commission.
6. Matter was heard today. Respondent as above were heard via videoconferencing from Mumbai. Appellant made submissions from Khammam. It was stated by the respondents that information in respect of the Corporate office has been provided to him. It was further stated that the "unit wise" information sought by the appellant through his RTI application was maintained at the eight Zonal offices and 113 Divisional offices spread across the country. Therefore it was not possible for the CPIO at the Corporate office to compile this information and provide to the appellant. It was argued that there is no obligation under the RTI Act for such compilation and collation of information in order to meet the information needs of the information seeker by diverting scarce resources of the public authority. It was suggested that the appellant could obtain the requested information from the Zonal and Divisional offices of the Corporation by filing separate RTI applications. Appellant pressed for disclosure of information by the Corporate office after obtaining the same from their subordinate offices.
Decision notice
7. After hearing both parties, Commission while expecting the plea of the respondents places on record the fact that the information sought by the appellant is disclosable as per the provisions of the RTI Act. Appellant is free to make separate RTI applications to the eight Zonal and 113 Divisional offices of the Corporation. These offices will then be required to provide information to the appellant in respect of their own offices as well as the branch and satellite offices under their control within the timeframe prescribed in the RTI Act. The case is disposed of with these directions.
(Smt. Deepak Sandhu)
Chief Information Commissioner
Citation: Shri P.V.Subramanyam v. LIC of India in Appeal: No. CIC/DS/A/2012/001900