Appellant asked why there is a difference of amount between OS (Outstanding Amount) and DP (Drawing Power) & related question - CIC: Revisit the RTI application; Provide revised information including copy of calculation sheet of appellant’s loan account
6 Jun, 2021O R D E R
1. The issues under consideration arising out of the second appeal dated 01.02.2019 include non-receipt of the following information raised by the appellant through his RTI application dated 08.10.2018and first appeal dated 08.11.2018:-
i. Why there is a difference of amount between OS (Outstanding Amount) and DP (Drawing Power) of late in H.L. Ac?
ii. Why Rs. 295/- is being debited from my SB account in Karur Branch in default?
2. Succinctly facts of the case are that the appellant filed an application dated 08.10.2018 under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), State Bank of India, Retail Assets Processing Centre – 1, State Bank Road, Coimbatore, seeking aforesaid information. The CPIO replied on 17.10.2018. Dissatisfied with the response of the CPIO, the appellant has filed first appeal dated 08.11.2018. The First Appellate Authority (FAA) disposed of the first appeal vide its order dated 18.12.2018. Aggrieved by that, the appellant has filed a second appeal dated 01.02.2019 before this Commission which is under consideration.
3. The appellant has filed the instant appeal dated 01.02.2019 inter alia on the grounds that reply given by the CPIO was incomplete and not satisfactory. The appellant has requested the Commission to direct the CPIO to provide complete information immediately and take necessary action as per sub-section (1) of section 20 of the RTI Act.
4. The CPIO vide letter dated 17.10.2018 gave point-wise reply/information and informed that difference in drawing power and outstanding amount occurred on account of interest accrual over a period of time due to delayed repayment or due to interest rate change. The FAA vide his order dated 18.12.2018 directed the CPIO to verify the standing instruction mandate given by the appellant and furnish the suitable reply/information to the information sought on point nos. 2 of the RTI application, within 15 days.
5. The appellant and on behalf of the Shri Nella Perumal Pillai, CPIO and Assistant General Manager, State Bank of India, Coimbatore, attended the hearing through video conference.
5.1. The appellant inter alia stated that he had home loan account in PBB, Race Course at Coimbatore and paid Rs. 10 lakhs in advance and hence EMI was reduced to Rs. 31,594/- subsequently. He paid EMI amount well in advance of due date without any interruption for the last seven years. Of late, it was noticed that there was difference of amount between the outstanding and drawing power on 18.09.2018. He further stated that the concerned branch did not provide proper explanations due to limited availability of data and information. Hence, he sought aforesaid information under the RTI but the reply given by the respondent was not satisfactory as no reasons given for the difference of amount between outstanding and drawing power in his home loan.
5.2. The respondent while defending their case inter alia submitted that they had already provided point-wise information to the appellant vide their letter dated 17.10.2018. They further informed that difference in drawing power and outstanding amount in the appellant’s home loan occurred on account of interest accrual over a period of time due to delayed repayment or due to interest rate changes.
6. The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing both the parties and perusal of records, observes that due reply/information has been given by the respondent vide their letter dated 17.10.2018. However, in the interest of justice, the respondent is directed to revisit the RTI application and provide revised information including copy of the calculation sheet of the appellant’s loan account, within three weeks from the date of receipt of this order. With the above observations and directions, the appeal is disposed of.
Copy of the decision be provided free of cost to the parties.
Sd/-
(Suresh Chandra)
Information Commissioner
Citation: K. Subbramaniyan v. State Bank of India in Second Appeal No. CIC/SBIND/A/2019/106076, Date of decision: 16.04.2021