Information about medical claim - CIC: PIO to make fresh earnest efforts to trace the records sought by the Appellant on the basis of documents submitted by him; 11 weeks’ time granted to provide compliance on account of impending Delhi Assembly Elections
14 Jun, 2020Information sought and background of the case:
Appellant filed RTI application dated 20.09.2017 seeking information on the following 03 points:
1. How many medical claims submitted since 01.04.2016 to 28.02.2017, in the format given below?
S No .
Name of officer/official
D.N. Date
Amount
Date of Disposal
Bill Date
2. How many medical claims still pending/objection. Please give the reason separately each.
3. What action has taken so far to remove the objection, intimate separately each?
PIO/SDM (Elect.), vide letter dated 07.11.2017 informed the Appellant that there is shortage of staff and compiling of the information will unnecessarily divert the resources from important work, hence, he was requested to visit the office of the PIO on any working day with prior intimation and see the records himself.
Dissatisfied with the reply received from the PIO, Appellant filed First Appeal dated 06.12.2017 which was not adjudicated therefore Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.
Facts emerging in Course of Hearing:
Both parties are present for the hearing. The current SDM has joined recently and submits that on account of acute shortage of staff, at the relevant point of time in 2017, his predecessor in office had requested the Appellant to inspect the records. Appellant claims that he was not provided proper access to records appropriately when he visited the office of the Respondent. Appellant has produced documentary evidence of his claims and bills, copies whereof had been provided to the respondent and yet no action had been taken.
Decision:
In the light of the above discussion during the course of hearing, the Commission hereby directs that the PIO shall make fresh earnest efforts to trace the records sought by the Appellant on the basis of documents submitted by him. Appellant may visit the respondent to submit additional documents related to his claim viz. copy of claim/bills etc. to assist the PIO in tracing the related documents. The Respondent has stated that on account of impending Delhi Assembly Elections, the Respondents will be assigned tasks and hence sought adequate time to carry out the directions of the Commission. Time is granted and the Respondent/PIO is hereby directed to submit a compliance report by 15th April 2020.
The appeal is disposed off accordingly.
Y. K. Sinha
Information Commissioner
Citation: Shri Randhir Singh v. PIO/SDM (Election), South Dist., MB Road, Saket, New Delhi in Second Appeal No. CIC/ADDDM/A/2018/122198, Date of Decision: 22.01.2020