The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) addressed an RTI appeal filed by Mehul Bansal challenging the refusal of information regarding employee compensation and related allowances. The appellant sought details on maximum pay and allowances for all grades, concessional loans, insurance facilities beyond group schemes, qualification-related increments, and updated travelling and halting allowance guidelines. The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) had disclosed that monthly remuneration was already publicly available on IBBI’s website but withheld travelling and halting allowance information under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. The First Appellate Authority held that the right to information under Sections 2(f) and 3 of the RTI Act is limited to records held or under the control of the public authority and subject to statutory exemptions. Since the IBBI had already disclosed accessible information online, it was not obliged to collate or furnish information in the specific format requested. The appeal was accordingly dismissed.
BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FIRST APPELLATE AUTHORITY INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY BOARD OF INDIA
7th Floor, Mayur Bhawan, Shankar Market,
Connaught Circus, New Delhi -110001
Dated: 10th December 2025
Order under section 19 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) in respect of RTI Appeal Registration No. ISBBI/A/E/25/000126
IN THE MATTER OF
Mehul Bansal … Appellant
Vs.
Central Public Information Officer
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
7th Floor, Mayur Bhawan, Shankar Market,
Connaught Circus, New Delhi -110001 … Respondent
1. The Appellant has filed the present Appeal dated 6th November 2025, challenging the communication of the Respondent, filed under the Right to Information Act (RTI Act). Since the Appeal required detailed analysis of different provisions of the RTI Act, same is disposed of within 45 days of its receipt as enshrined under Section 19(6) of the RTI Act.
2.The Appellant had requested for the following information,
“1. Please provide “Maximum Eligibility Amount” (in Rs.) of the pay and allowances paid or payable as part of Employee Compensation, by whatever name called, to all Grade of officers of IBBI, please also specify the date from which the said pay and allowances are admissible.
2. Please provide, policy/ circular/ office order/ document by whatever name called, provided to IBBI Employees for the following
- Any concessional loan/ advances facility provided to IBBI Employees
- Any insurance facility apart from Group Mediclaim Policy and Group Saving Linked Insurance Scheme
- Any Qualification allowance or increment based on employee completing a prescribed course/ certification
- Any other monetary/non-monetary component paid/payable as part of compensation.
3. Please provide the updated Travelling and Halting allowance Guidelines/ document by whatever name called, admissible to IBBI Employees on tour and transfer.”
The CPIO has, inter-alia, stated that monthly remuneration as entitled to the employees of IBBI has been voluntarily disclosed on its website, while the information pertaining to Travelling/Halting allowance is exempted from disclosure under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. Aggrieved with the CPIO reply, the Appellant has preferred the present Appeal contending that the response provided is incomplete and wrongly denied the information
3. I have carefully examined the application, the responses of the Respondent and the impugned Appeal. In terms of section 2(f) of the RTI Act ‘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.” It is pertinent to mention here that the Appellant’s “right to information’ flows from section 3 of the RTI Act and the said right is subject to the provisions of the Act. Section 2(j) of the RTI Act defines the “right to information” in term
of information accessible under the Act which is held by or is under the control of a public authority. Thus, if the public authority holds any information in the form of data, statistics, abstracts, etc. an applicant can have access to the same under the RTI Act subject to exemptions under section 8.
4. It is pertinent to note that the pay and allowances of all officers serving in the IBBI are governed by the following rules and regulations: –
(i) Insolvency And Bankruptcy Board of India (Employees’ Service) Regulations, 2017.
(iii) Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Salary, Allowances and other Terms and Conditions of Service of Chairperson and members) Rules, 2016.
(iv) Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Medical Facility to Chairperson and Whole -time Members) Scheme Rules, 2019.
In pursuance of Section 4(1)(b) of the RTI Act, the IBBI has disclosed necessary information as accessible on http://ibbi.gov.in/uploads/faqs/RTI%20ManualNew%202025.pdf and https://ibbi.gov.in/uploads/Data regarding pay scale.pdf. Accordingly, the CPIO is not obligated to collate, compile and furnish information in a specific format, as sought by the Appellant. In view of the aforesaid observation, the reply of the CPIO does not merit any interference.
5. The Appeal is, accordingly, disposed of.
Sd/-
(Kulwant Singh)
First Appellate Authority
Copy to:
1. Appellant, Mehul Bansal
2. CPIO, The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India, 7th Floor, Mayur Bhawan, Shankar
Market, Connaught Circus, New Delhi -110001.
