के (cid:574)ीय सूचना आयोग Central Information Commission बाबा गंगनाथ माग(cid:330), मुिनरका

Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka नई िद(cid:671)ी, New Delhi – 110067 File No: CIC/CILTD/A/2025/104234 Devraj Phogat .….अपीलकता(cid:330)/Appellant VERSUS बनाम CPIO Coal India Ltd Coal Bhawan, Premise No. 4 MAR Plot No.

AF-III, AA-1A, New Town Rajarhat , Kolkata - ….(cid:366)ितवादीगण /Respondent

700156 Kolkata-700156 Date of Hearing : 23.03.2026 Date of Decision : 23.03.2026 INFORMATION COMMISSIONER : Jaya Varma Sinha Relevant facts emerging from appeal:

RTI application filed on : 22.10.2024 CPIO replied on : 13.11.2024 First appeal filed on : 19.11.2024 First Appellate Authority’s order : 09.12.2024 2nd Appeal dated : 04.02.2025 Information sought:

1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 22.10.2024(online) seeking the following information:

“I sought information as under vide CILTD/R/E/24/00642 Provide certified /scanned copy of noting Sheet having approval of the competent authority of CIL that resulted into issue of O.O. CIL/CSA(IV)/Transfer/2024/NCLECL/BK/B664 Dated 20.08.2024. The CPIO denied information citing Since the matter is concerned with an executive of Coal India Limited, hence the information sought by the applicant cannot be provided due to third party information as per the clause 81j of RTI Act. The above contention was countered vide CILTD/A/E/24/00132 and the FAA upheld the submission of the on below reproduced submission of CPIO that the note sheet may reveal may confidential information of an executive hence it is exempted under section 81 of RTI Act The note sheet may reveal may (many may be spelling mistake) confidential information of an executive May used to express possibility You use may to indicate that something will possibly happen or be true in the future, but you cannot be certain. (vagueness) The CPIO was not sure if the noting sheet has confidential information wirt. the executive The CPIO, CIL had the option of redacting the comprehended confidential information, if any, available in the desired note sheet.CPB/A1/CIC/2006 dt. 31.01. 2006, the CIC held that file notings are not, as a matter of law, exempt from disclosure In light of above I need following information (the CPIO may redact) Provide certified /scanned copy of noting Sheet having approval of the competent authority of CIL that resulted into issue of O.O. CIL/CSA(IV)/Transfer/2024/NCLECL/BK/8664 Dated

20.08.2024.”

2. The CPIO furnished a reply to the Appellant on 13.11.2024 stating as under:

“Reply: The concerned department has stated the following Reply- The information sought by the applicant is a third party information and no larger public interest is demonstrated under section 8-e of RTI Act.”

3. Being dissatisfied, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 19.11.2024. The FAA vide its order dated 09.12.2024, held as under:

“In view of preceding paragraphs and also explanations given, directive is as under:

No further disclosure is required.”

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

Relevant Facts emerged during Hearing:

The following were present:-

Appellant: Present in person.

Respondent: Ms. Ekta, CPIO-cum-Manager and Shri Rajesh V. Nair, GM, attended the hearing through VC.

5. The Appellant stated that the Respondent has not provided the relevant information as sought in the instant RTI Application.

6. The Respondent submitted that the information sought by the Appellant in the instant RTI Application is personal information of third party which is exempted from disclosure under Section 8 (1) (j) of the RTI Act.

7. A written submission has been received from Ms. Ekta, CPIO-cum-

Manager, vide letter dated 16.03.2026, a copy of which has been sent to the Appellant and the same has been taken on record. The relevant extract of the same is as under:

“Dear Sir, Kindly refer to your Notice no. CIC/CILTD/A/2025/104234 dated 23rd February 2026 received in this office on 9th March 2026 with a dir