Issue of delay in providing maturity amount against the LIC policy raised through the RTI
17 Jul, 2013Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) seeking information regarding her policy including delay in releasing maturity amount to her and also the basis on which additional loan against the said policy had been sanctioned and disbursed. The Public Information Officer (PIO) provided partial information to the appellant. Information regarding the enhancement of loan amount against the appellant’s policy and the name of the person to whom the additional loan had been disbursed was denied claiming that it did not fall under the definition of information as per the section 2(f) “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; of the RTI Act.
Proceedings
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the First Appellate Authority (FAA) informed that an internal Departmental enquiry had been initiated in the matter. The PIO informed that the matter pertaining to the policy of the appellant was under investigation for fraud allegedly committed by the agent. The appellant stated that this is the first time this information has been conveyed to him and objected to the fact that the same had been held back from him and not disclosed in response to his RTI application.
View of CIC
The Commission directed the PIO to provide the detail in respect of enhancement of loan amount against her policy and complete information regarding the current status of the ongoing enquiry in respect of the fraud committed visa is the appellant's policy. Further, the CIC directed the PIO to ascertain whether receipt has been issued to the appellant for the two annual premiums paid by him, by cheque for the years 2009 and 2010. The CIC also added that the former PIO had provided incorrect and vague information to the appellant in respect of some point. However, the CIC accepted the explanation of the current PIO that the fraud was detected in September 2012 and the PIO had provided information on 22 The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (19 of 1923), and any other law for the time being in force or in any instrument having effect by virtue of any law other than this Act. May 2012. In respect of the manner in which the former PIO has denied information by quoting the provisions of section 2(f) “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; of the Act, the CIC issued the show cause notice to the former PIO for not dealing with the appellant’s application as per the provisions of the RTI Act.
Citation: Ms. Nupur Sharma v. LIC of India in Appeal: No. CIC/DS/A/2012/002429
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2013/CIC/1457
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission