CIC: as per Section 25(5), the Senior Divisional Manager (FAA) of LIC asked to take steps to alert the policy holders in the event of nonpayment of any premium through ECS facility which would improve customer relations & bring down the grievances

Facts:

1. The appellant, Shri Ankit Kanoujia, has submitted RTI application dated 23 August 2012, before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), Life Insurance Corporation of India, Lucknow; seeking information relating to the closure of his policy No. 219185543 and recovery of already paid amount through total of 3 points.

2. Vide order dated 01 September 2012, CPIO furnished the information to the appellant. Not satisfied by the CPIO’s reply, the appellant preferred appeal dated 25 October 2012, to the First Appellate Authority (FAA). Vide order dated 04 December 2012, the FAA upheld the decision of CPIO on point no. 1 and furnished further information on point nos. 2 & 3.

3. Being aggrieved and not satisfied by the above response of the public authority, the appellant preferred second appeal before the Commission.

4. The matter was heard today via videoconferencing. The appellant, Shri Ankit Kanoujia was present and made submissions from Lucknow. The respondents, Shri B.K. Sinha, CPIO and Shri DPS Rathod, Administrative Officer made submissions from Lucknow.

5. The appellant submitted that he has taken a policy whose premium installment was being deducted via his bank account through ECS. However, the appellant came to know that about 18 installments had not been deducted by the LIC through ECS and subsequently he had to pay those installments along with the interest. Now the said ECS facility is again not working and he would not like to pay interest now. The appellant also submitted that the bank authorities had told him that they can deduct the premium through ECS if only the LIC asks them to. The appellant, however, did not have anything from the bank, in writing, to this effect.

6. The respondents submitted that deduction of the installment from bank account of the appellant through ECS is a matter of grievance between the appellant and the bank concerned, are the appellant should approach the bank concerned. The deductions are made through ECS only when mandate form has been submitted by the policy holder to the bank concerned and that the appellant has to fill in the new mandate form and present it to the bank. Further, there is no provision for the public authority to inform/alert the policy holder in case of non receipt of the premium through ECS. 

Decision Notice

7. The Commission is of the view that the deduction of the installment from bank account of the appellant through ECS is a matter of grievance between the appellant and the bank concerned. The appellant may approach the bank concerned or the grievance forum of the LIC for the redressal of his grievance.

8. The Commission is satisfied that the information as available has been provided to the appellant. Hence, the appeal is dismissed.

9. However, as per the provisions of Section 25 (5) of the RTI Act, 2005 the Commission would like to recommend the Senior Divisional Manager (FAA), Lucknow to take steps of duly alerting the policy holders in the event of nonpayment of any premium by them through ECS facility. Such efforts would improve their customer relations and would bring down the grievances as in the present case.

(Manjula Prasher)

Information Commissioner

Citation: Shri Ankit Kanoujia v. LIC of India in Appeal: No. CIC/DS/A/2013/000558/MP