Disclosure of personal information is restricted under RTI Act Section 8(1)(g) if it compromises third-party privacy and fails to demonstrate overriding public interest.

Information sought:

1. The Appellant filed an (offline) RTI application dated 05.08.2024 seeking the following information:

2. The CPIO furnished a reply to the Appellant on 30.08.2024 stating as under:

3. Being dissatisfied, the appellant filed a First Appeal dated 14.09.2024.

The FAA vide its order dated 15.10.2024, upheld the reply of CPIO.

4. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied, appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.

5. In the meantime, the Appellant filed a writ petition bearing No. WP No. 17121/2025 before the Hon’ble High Court of MP, Jabalpur seeking early hearing of this Appeal which was allowed by the Court vide order dated 23.06.2025. The operative portion of the order is as under: -

“…Considering the aforesaid, this petition is disposed off by directing the petitioner to file a certified copy of this order before respondent No. 2, who in turn is directed to consider and decide the pending Second Appeal (Annexure- P/5), if not already decided, within a period of 45 days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order and communicate the outcome to the petitioner.

Needless to mention that this Court has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case.”

6. In compliance with the above directions, the instant Appeal is listed today for hearing on out of turn basis.

7. A written submission dated 21.08.2025 filed by Shri Sachipati Nandan, APO, Western Central Railway, Jabalpur is taken on record. Contents of the same are reproduced below:

Relevant Facts emerged during Hearing:

The following were present:-

Appellant: Present through video conference.

Respondent: Shri Sachipati Nandan, APO, Western Central Railway, Jabalpur present through video conference.

8. Proof of having served a copy of Second Appeal on respondents while filing the same in CIC is not available on record. The Respondent confirms non-service of Second Appeal in the first instance. It is also noted that the Appellant has not made the concerned PIO or FAA as the Respondent in the Writ Petition filed by her before the Hon’ble High Court of M.P. Thus, delay, if any, is attributable to herself and no one else.

9. The Appellant stated that she is aggrieved by the denial of information from the Respondent ignoring the fact that she has sought a copy of inquiry report and statement of witnesses pertaining to her own family pension case.

10. The Respondent while inviting attention of the Commission towards the contents of his written submission apprised the Bench that the Appellant has been informed vide letters dated 07.07.2022 and 14.05.2024 that "In your case, an inquiry was conducted by the Welfare Inspector and after investigation, the case was presented before the competent authority. During the investigation, your real brother Shri Mevalal presented his statement and affidavit and told about you that you have married Fakira Ram, son of Garibar Ram, for the second time, which has also been confirmed by your neighbors. During the investigation, your real brother Mr. Mewalal presented property tax receipt and land papers related to agricultural land of 0.9200 in Khasra No. 20S in which your name is recorded as Lakshmi Devi husband Mr. Fakira Ram. Therefore, on the basis of the copy of affidavit/statement presented by your real brother Mr. Mewalal during the investigation and the certification given by your four neighbors, it does not appear that you are a widow at present.”

Further, the information sought by the Appellant through RTI application contains the elements of personal information of third-party and disclosure of inquiry report an