Brief of HC order on Disclosure of Interest under RTI act - Vrankers

 Brief of HC order on Disclosure of Interest under RTI act

 Quick Brief of the order passed by the Hon'ble #High Court of Delhi on the “Disclosure of Interest in Information under the RTI Act”, addressing that the disclosure of an interest in the information sought would be necessary to establish the bonafides of the applicant. The Judgment was delivered by Justice Prathiba M. Singh. 

1. The Court held that whenever information is sought under the #RTI Act, a declaration of an interest in the information looked for would be necessary to initiate the bonafides of the applicant. 

2. The brief background of this petition is that the Petitioner looked for information (under the RTI Act of 2005), in respect of certain appointments made for Multi-Tasking Staff at the #Presidential Estate, #Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. 

3. Issues of the Case:  Does the fact that the Petitioner’s daughter who had also applied for the said post of Multi-Tasking Staff at the Presidential Estate, Rashtrapati Bhawan ‘hinders’ the petition filed?  The information with respect to the notification of Multi-Tasking Staff examination residential address, and father’s names of all selected candidates was refuse by the Central Information Commission (#CIC).  The Petitioner’s Counsel give in that the above said information ought to have been disclose by the Respondents. 

4. Meanwhile, the opposing Counsel stated that the information looked for by the Petitioner is extremely wide, and invades the #Privacy of the appointed persons for the Multi-Tasking Staff. 

5. The Hon’ble High Court of Delhi was of the view that the Petitioner was cleverly quiet regarding his daughter who had applied for the appointment of the said post of Multi-Tasking Staff. The mere fact of hiding crucial information could result in others getting affected in the near future. 

6. Since the Petitioner’s daughter did not obtain the employment at last, but remained quiet until later, the Court finds #Ulterior motives and remarks the same. 

7. The Court held that the said information which is being looked for under Section 8(1)(j) of the #RTI Act which states that any such information shall not be provided which accounts for personal information and is invasive of the privacy of the individuals. 

8. Moreover, the Petitioner’s mere act of having concealed the material fact that his daughter had also applied for appointment for the above mentioned post, resulted in the petition being dismissed at the costs of Rs. 25,000/- to be paid to the ‘High Court of Delhi (Middle Income Group) Legal Aid Society’.