SBI Refuses to Disclose Electoral Bond Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Response to RTI Appeal

The State Bank of India (SBI) has once again refused to disclose the standard operating procedures (SOPs) provided to its branches for the sale and redemption of electoral bonds. This refusal came in response to a first appeal lodged under the Right to Information Act (RTI) by transparency advocate Anjali Bhardwaj.
SBI justified its refusal by citing “commercial confidence” and asserting that the information constitutes the “intellectual property of the bank.” The bank emphasized that the internal guidelines were exclusively intended for the dealing staff.
Background and Appeal Process
Anjali Bhardwaj filed an application on March 4, 2024, seeking access to the SOPs issued by SBI dating back to April 2017. However, the bank rejected the request on March 30, 2024. Dissatisfied with the response, Bhardwaj appealed to the first appellate authority (FAA) of SBI. Unfortunately, the FAA’s response received on May 17, 2024, upheld the bank’s denial.
Bhardwaj has now decided to challenge the denial before the Central Information Commission (CIC).
SBI’s Justification for Denial
In its order dated May 17, 2024, the FAA stated that the information sought is held by the bank in its “commercial confidence” and constitutes the “intellectual property of the bank.” The FAA further justified the denial under Section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act, which exempts the disclosure of information that could harm the competitive position of a third party.
Bhardwaj has raised concerns about the lack of demonstration by the FAA on how the disclosure of SOPs would harm the competitive position of a third party. She also pointed out that the FAA did not disclose who the third party in question is. Additionally, Bhardwaj highlighted that the FAA did not weigh the public interest in the matter and simply cited the document being an internal guideline as a justification for denial, even though there is no such exemption clause in the RTI Act.
Importance of SOPs for Transparency
Bhardwaj’s request for the SOPs pertaining to electoral bonds stems from concerns regarding the ambiguity surrounding SBI’s management of transaction data for the bonds. There have been apprehensions about the potential tracking of the bonds due to SBI’s recording of unique numbers for both purchasers and redeemers. Bhardwaj emphasized that even after the Supreme Court declared the electoral bond scheme unconstitutional and ordered the disclosure of all details of electoral bonds, SBI continues to withhold crucial information.
Conclusion
The State Bank of India (SBI) has refused to disclose the standard operating procedures (SOPs) provided to its branches for the sale and redemption of electoral bonds. The bank cited “commercial confidence” and the information being its “intellectual property” as reasons for the denial. Transparency advocate Anjali Bhardwaj has appealed the denial and plans to challenge it before the Central Information Commission (CIC).