Punish petitioners who demand to see PM Modi’s education degree: Solicitor-general

The Solicitor General argues that the Right to Information Act should impose penalties on "misusers" who seek information for political motives rather than genuine public interest. By characterizing such applicants as intermeddlers, the legal defense suggests that the Act’s primary purpose is to facilitate legitimate oversight, not to serve as a tool for harassment or publicity. This stance highlights a tension between transparency obligations and the protection of public authorities from frivolous or malicious inquiries. The core implication is that "public curiosity" does not inherently equate to "public interest." If courts accept this distinction, it could significantly narrow the scope of accessible information, allowing institutions to withhold records deemed irrelevant to governance or administrative duties. This creates a potential precedent where entities can refuse disclosure by claiming requests are politically motivated, thereby shifting the burden of proof onto applicants to demonstrate a clear public benefit for their information demands. This case is relevant to open data because it challenges the foundational principle that government-held information should be freely accessible. If the legal interpretation of the RTI Act expands to exclude data requested for political scrutiny, it risks creating opaque exceptions that undermine data transparency. The outcome may influence how open data policies are enforced, potentially limiting public access to records if they are perceived as serving private or political agendas rather than broader societal needs.

Source: kashmirreader.com
Published on 2025-03-01

Punish petitioners who demand to see PM Modi’s education degree: Solicitor-general

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