Service Records Are Personal Information, Exempted From Disclosure Under RTI Act: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court has held that a service record constitutes personal information exempted from disclosure under the Right to Information Act. The Court observed that such information cannot be directed to be disclosed unless the authority records satisfaction that a larger public interest warrants such disclosure.Justice Abasaheb D. Shinde was hearing a writ petition filed challenging...

Patna High Court Defers Hearing Plea On RTI Pendency In Bihar, Cites Ongoing SC Proceedings

The Patna High Court has deferred hearing in a Public Interest Litigation seeking directions to clear the massive pendency of RTI applications and appeals in Bihar, noting that the issue is presently under consideration before the Supreme Court.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo and Justice Harish Kumar was hearing a PIL...

Policy Number Not Mandatory For Seeking LIC Details Under RTI Act, But Basic Identifying Details Required: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that while an individual can seek details of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) policies under the Right to Information (RTI) Act without furnishing the policy number, such requests must be supported by basic identifying particulars to enable retrieval of information.A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar...

Punishment U/S 20 RTI Act Can Be Imposed Only When Deliberate Obstruction/ Delay In Providing Information: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that punishment under Section 20 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 can only be imposed if there is deliberate obstruction or delay in supplying information sought under the RTI Act. It cannot be imposed based on rushed or prejudged decisions which compromise statutory safeguards or rule of law. Referring to...

Marks In Public Recruitment Exams Not Confidential, Can Be Disclosed Under RTI Act Without Third-Party Consent: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that information on marks in public exams is not confidential information and does not require consent of the third party, whose marks are sought by the RTI applicant under the Right to Information Act, 2005. The bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Swarupama Chaturvedi held,“Marks obtained by a candidate, if...

RTI Not A Tool To Obtain Others' Exam Answer Sheets: Karnataka High Court Rejects Activist's Plea For KPSC Answer Script Disclosure

The Karnataka High Court recently said that merely being a Right to Information activist would not give a person the right to seek answer scripts of a person who had appeared for the exam conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).A single judge, Justice Suraj Govindaraj said thus while dismissing the petition filed by one Intak...

CIC Appointments | 'No Reason To Doubt Union': Supreme Court Refuses To Direct Disclosure Of Shortlisted Candidates' Names

The Court noted the assurance of the Union that the CIC appointments will be completed within 2-3 weeks.

'Won't Allow Misuse Of RTI Act': Karnataka High Court Refuses To Stay Blacklisting Order Passed Against Man Who Filed 476 RTI Applications

While refusing to stay an order passed by the Karnataka State Information Commissioner, blacklisting a man from seeking information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, the court said “We cannot allow misuse of the RTI Act.”Justice Suraj Govindaraj while issuing notice to the respondents— state government and others, has directed the...

Information On SEBI's Internal Probe Into Alleged Insider Trading Exempted From Disclosure Under RTI Act: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that information pertaining to internal investigation being conducted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is exempt from disclosure under the Right to Information Act, 2005.A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela thus upheld a single bench order declining to...

RTI Act | Central Information Commission Cannot Make 'Policy Prescriptions' To Any Public Authority: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has made it clear that the role of the Central Information Commission constituted under the Right to Information Act 2005 is to ensure transparency and disclosure of information by a public authority, and not make policy prescriptions.Justice Prateek Jalan held thus while allowing Hindustan Petroleum Corporation's (HPCL) plea...

'Not That Simple, Entails Huge Infrastructure Investment': Delhi High Court On PIL To Allow Public, Journalists To Attend CIC Hearings

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday disposed of a public interest litigation seeking a direction on the Central Information Commission (CIC) to allow members of the general public as well as journalists to attend the proceedings physically as well as virtually. A division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal remarked...

MP High Court Quashes Remarks Against Ex-State CIC's Conduct For Delaying RTI Info, Says Decision Was 'Bona Fide'

The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently set aside adverse observations made on the conduct of former State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Arvind Kumar Shukla in an order passed by a single judge bench and quashed the direction to recover a penalty of Rs. 40,000.A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf...