Info on judges appointment can’t be revealed under RTI: Centre

The Delhi HC stayed a CIC order asking the Govt to disclose documents on appointment of Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh, after the Centre pleaded that such information relating to judges could not be revealed under the RTI Act.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed a CIC order asking the government to disclose documents on appointment of Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh, after the Centre pleaded that such information relating to judges could not be revealed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

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Challenging the order of Central Information Commission which had asked the government to reveal documents and file-notings on appointment of Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh Jagdish Bhalla, Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra pleaded that such informations are beyond the purview of RTI Act.

“Correspondence exchanged between constitutional authorities is beyond the purview of the Act and the commission erred in law by directing to disclose it,” the government said in its petition.

Justice S Ravindra Bhat, after hearing his contention, stayed the CIC order and issued notice to the RTI applicant on whose plea the Commission had passed the direction.

The Commission on January 19 had directed the Centre to disclose all information and file notings on appointment of Bhalla, whose promotion file was returned by then President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2007.