RTI Applicants Must Disclose Interest in Seeking Info: Delhi HC

Justice Singh said non-disclosure of interest could result in injustice to those about whom information is sought.

The Delhi High Court has observed that a disclosure of interest regarding the information sought, is necessary for all applications filed under RTI.

(Photo: The Quint)

The Delhi High Court has observed that a disclosure of interest regarding any information sought, is necessary for all applications filed under RTI, to establish the applicant’s bonafide, The Leaflet reported.

A single-judge bench of Justice Pratibha M Singh said that non-disclosure of interest could result in injustice to those about whom information is sought.

However, Section 6(2) of the RTI Act 2005 states that “an applicant making request for information shall not be required to give any reason for requesting the information or any other personal details except those that may be necessary for contacting him”.

This ruling came during a hearing of a petition challenging the decision of the Central information Commission’s refusal to disclose information on appointments made for the Multi-Tasking Staff in the President’s Secretariat.

While RTI applicant Har Kishan sought the information on the appointments, his queries relating to the residential addresses of selected candidates were rejected on grounds of safeguarding privacy.

When the court found out that the petitioner’s daughter was also an applicant for the same position, it said that the non-disclosure of this fact “clearly points to some ulterior motive”.

“The seeking of the above information, especially after the Petitioner’s daughter did not obtain employment, clearly points to some ulterior motives,” Justice Singh said.

The court also imposed costs of Rs 25,000 on the petitioner.