Information relating to cases filed against a particular branch of National Insurance Company Ltd - CIC: provide the duration of posting of Class I, Class III and Class IV; provide the copy of the eligibility conditions for applying for the agency in NICL

Information relating to the cases filed a particular branch of National Insurance Company Ltd - Appellant alleged that a few officials in the company have agencies in the name of their family members resulting in large scale misappropriation - CIC: provide the duration of posting of Class I, Class III and Class IV; provide the copy of the rules / eligibility conditions for applying for in agency in NICL

Facts:

1. The appellant, Dr. K. K. Kalra, has submitted RTI application dated 24 September 2012 before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), National Insurance Co. Ltd., (DO IX), Sector 3, Rohini, New Delhi; seeking information relating to the cases filed against the respondent company (related to that Branch) from the date of opening of that Branch etc., through total of 09 points.

2. Vide CPIO order dated 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. October 2012, CPIO denied the information sought in point nos.01 to 06 on the ground that the information which has been asked by the appellant is not specific/too vague to reply in terms 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; of the RTI Act, 2005 and furnished the information sought in point nos.07 & 08. Not satisfied by the CPIO’s reply, the appellant preferred appeal dated 26 October 2012 to the First Appellate Authority (FAA). FAA has not passed any order in this case.

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. The appellant Dr. K.K. Kalra attended the hearing. The respondents, NICL were represented by Shri P.K. Singh, Regional Manager and FAA and Ms Sunita and Shri B.B. Malick, Deputy Manager, NICL.

5. The appellant alleged that he has been denied information without any basis and submitted that strict action should be taken against the CPIO. Besides no order was passed in his appeal to the First Appellate Authority. In his submission, the appellant also alleged that a few officials in the company have agencies in the name of their family members resulting in large scale misappropriation. During the hearing the appellant agreed that information sought for by him from points 1 to 6 was not quite specific. For point 7 relating to the number of officers posted in the Branch and for how long, the appellant stated that he had been provided part information relating to the number of officials only.

6. The respondents submitted that they will provide the duration of posting of officials with reference to point 7 of the RTI application. He also stated that no staff member has been given agency for his family member. The independent family members can, however, apply for agency on their own if they are eligible.

Decision notice

7. (i) The CPIO will provide the duration of posting of Class I, Class III and Class –IV clearly, the categories mentioned by them w.r.t point 7.

(ii) The CPIO will also provide a copy of the rules / eligibility conditions for applying for agency in NICL.

8. The CPIO will ensure action on the above within 15 days of the receipt of the Commission’s order.

(Manjula Prasher)

Information Commissioner

Citation: Dr. K.K. Kalra v. National Insurance Co. Ltd., in Appeal: No. CIC/DS/A/2013/000404/MP