Central Information Commission S K Mandal vs Indian Oil Corporation Limited (Iocl) on 20 February, 2023 के ीय सूचना आयोग Central Information Commission बाबागंगनाथमाग , मुिनरका Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka नई द ली, New Delhi 110067 File No : CIC/IOCLD/A/2022/117151 S K Mandal ......अपीलकता /Appellant VERSUS बनाम CPIO, O/o Chief General Manager(IB), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., West Bengal State Office, RTI Cell, Indian Oil Bhavan, 2, Gariahat Road (S), Kolkata700068, West Bengal. .... ितवादीगण /Respondent Date of Hearing : 15/02/2023 Date of Decision : 15/02/2023 INFORMATION COMMISSIONER : Saroj Punhani Relevant facts emerging from appeal: RTI application filed on :13/01/2022 CPIO replied on :07/02/2022 First appeal filed on :15/03/2022 First Appellate Authority order :17/03/2022 2nd Appeal/Complaint dated :05/04/2022 Information sought: The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 13.01.2022 seeking the following information: 1 Kindly provide me the followings against the above mentioned consumer No. (Consumer No. 7204391694) who is using LPG. a) Name of applicant: b) Relationship Start Date: c) Gender: d) Address of delivery: e) Number of LPG cylinders used till date: The CPIO furnished a reply to the appellant on 07.02.2022 stating as under: "The query seeks details based on insufficient specific inputs which is beyond the purview of Section 2(f) of RTI Act, 2005. It may kindly be noted that LPG is marketed by the three PSU Oil Companies as well as private marketers and consumer number is not a unique held and may exist for various consumers across multiple Oil Marketing Companies." Being dissatisfied, the appellant filed a First Appeal dated 15.03.2022. FAA's order, dated 17.03.2022, upheld the reply of CPIO with the following observations ".... In his RTI appeal, the Appellant has disputed the RTI reply and additionally mentioned that the consumer number pertains to IOCL The Respondent in its comments has maintained that the inputs provided in terms of consumer no. and same belonging to IOCL is not adequate to track the information. There is a probability of multiple entries bearing similar consumer numbers across IOCL distributors in India. In view of the above, it appears that consumer number alone is not adequate to locate the ....formation sought al this Application. The Appellant is advised to reapply for information with additional details e.g the 16 digit unique consumer IA. registered mobile no that is seeded with the specific consumer no , name of the distributor, etc so that search for requisite information can be facilitated. Further, any information, once identified, shall be provided subject to section 8 of the RTI Act..." Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied, the appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal on the ground of nonreceipt of desired information. Relevant Facts emerging during Hearing: 2 The following were present: Appellant: Not present. Respondent: Represented by Namita Kumari, Sr. Manager (Law) present through videoconference. The Appellant filed a written submission dated 07.02.2023 with the Commission, the relevant extracts are reproduced in verbatim as under ".... CPIO kept me in dark stating that "insufficient specific input" without stating what additional inputs are required to get the information. Again, I want to represent that I had made a request for only IOCL with consumer No. 7204391694 and not for other three PSU oil companies or private marketers as said by CPIO. Furthermore, IOCL may be dealing with multiple suppliers, but the unique consumer number should have specific code to identify about the vendor details as well as customer details and could have identified and shared me with the information instead of stating "insufficient specific input" or would have requested me to share the additional specific inputs required, if any, to give proper reply. The Appellate Authority in response to my 1st Appeal on dated 15.03.2022 replied on dated 17.03.2022 (beyond 30 days) to reapply for information with additional details e.g., the 16 digit unique consumer id, registered mobile no. that is seeded with the specific consumer number, name of the distributor etc. [AnnexureIII] This is to inform that RTI application made to IOCL is very costly and is more than Rs. 400/ (about Rs. 600/) per RTI application. So, it is very diffic