Shri Sujit Kumar filed an RTI application dt.24.10.08 with the CPIO, DoP, Motibihari. He wanted to know reasons for the delay in delivery of a letter sent by ordinary post from Bombay which was stamped on 13.9.08, and stamped at Motibihari on 19.9.08 and stamped at Sirsa Colony on 1.10.08 and was delivered by the Post Man on 3.10.08. On not receiving any reply, he filed an appeal dt.16.12.08 with the Appellate Authority. On still not receiving any reply, he filed a complaint dt.13.2.09 with Bihar Information Commission who transferred the case to CIC, which was registered at CIC on 18.6.09. The Commission vide its order . dt.30.9.09 directed the n CPIO to provide the information to the Applicant by 30.10.09 and also to send a response to the showcause notice issued to the PIO by the Commission for the delay in supply of information , by 5.11.09.
The Bench of Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, Information Commissioner, scheduled the hearing for November 19, 2009. Shri Satya Narayan Prasad, Asst. Supdt. of Posts and Shri Pawan Kumar, Inspector Posts represented the Public Authority. The Applicant was present during the hearing
Decision
The Complainant wanted to know why the letter which he sent by ordinary post has taken 12 days to reach from Mumbai to Sirsa Colony in Motihari in Bihar. The Respondent submitted that the delay in delivery of letter sent by ordinary post was because the pincode provided by the sender was not correct and therefore the article reached another post office and had to be redirected to the correct post office. The Commission while accepting the explanation for the delay in delivery of the letter, noted that no explanation to the showcause notice has been furnished; however condones the delay in furnishing information with a strict warning to the PIO not to deal with RTI applications with a frivolous attitude and condones the delay in providing information to the RTI application within the stipulated period and drops the penalty proceedings against the PIO.. Since the information sought relates to a grievance matter, the Complainant is advised to approach a suitable forum for redressal of his grievance. The complaint is disposed off with the above directions
