#right to information

The Supreme Court ruled that the Registrar's statutory power under Sections 65 and 66 of the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act to access society documents for RTI purposes is not contingent on a prior subjective satisfaction to hold an inquiry. This ensures members of cooperative societies can obtain records such as construction agreements and general body minutes through the RTI route without the Registrar first initiating a formal inquiry.

Bombay High Court ruled that universities must provide certified answer sheets in the student's preferred language (Marathi) and cannot restrict access to only two subjects. The judgment reinforces the right to information in education under Article 19, ensuring linguistic equity and academic transparency for law students, particularly senior citizens facing financial hardship.

Karnataka High Court clarifies that private colleges receiving less than 85% grant-in-aid do not qualify as 'public authorities' under the RTI Act, quashing the Information Commission's order. The ruling establishes a quantitative threshold for grant-in-aid dependency, impacting transparency obligations for aided institutions.

Rajasthan High Court holds that technical irregularities in a candidate’s Form-26 affidavit, absent evidence of corrupt practice, cannot void an election under Section 100 of the Representation of the People Act. The ruling reinforces judicial restraint in election disputes, protecting electoral outcomes from procedural hyper-technicalities.

MP High Court reinforces statutory timelines under the RTI Act by directing the State Information Commissioner to dispose of five pending second appeals within 90 days. The ruling underscores judicial intervention to curb administrative delays in RTI proceedings, ensuring public accountability and timely access to information.

Madhya Pradesh High Court reinforces that second appeals under the RTI Act must be decided within the prescribed statutory timeline, directing the appellate authority to dispose of the pending appeal within two weeks. The ruling underscores that writ jurisdiction cannot be invoked for factual disputes where statutory remedies remain available, ensuring compliance with the RTI Act’s mandate for timely information access.

Delhi High Court rules that insured individuals can obtain LIC policy details under the RTI Act even without a policy number, provided they furnish identifying details like name, DOB, and NEFT. The judgment underscores that public authorities must facilitate information access when sufficient alternative identifiers are available, reinforcing the RTI Act's purpose of transparency.

Public Information Officers cannot evade their duty under the RTI Act by claiming they are not custodians of records-they must actively seek and furnish information. The Calcutta High Court has ruled that attempting to terminate proceedings via unilateral corrigenda violates natural justice and undermines the fundamental right to information under Article 19(1)(a), setting a binding precedent for all SPIOs across India.

Uttarakhand High Court ruled that unsuccessful candidates in public recruitment exams have an enforceable right under the RTI Act to inspect their evaluated answer sheets immediately after results are declared, rejecting rules that deferred access until the entire selection process concluded. The judgment reinforces transparency and prevents irreparable prejudice to candidates.

The Rajasthan High Court has mandated that appellate authorities under the RTI Act must dispose of first appeals within four weeks, enforcing statutory deadlines to prevent indefinite delays in public information disclosure. This ruling directly impacts gram panchayats and district-level officials, transforming procedural timelines into enforceable rights for citizens seeking transparency.

Rajasthan High Court ruled that universities cannot impose processing fees exceeding the statutory limits under the RTI Act Rules 2012 for providing answer book copies. The court held that a ₹1,000 processing fee per answer book violates Section 7 of the RTI Act, reinforcing fee caps to ensure public access to information without undue financial burden.

Kerala High Court strikes down Rule 4(4) proviso limiting free RTI information to 20 pages for BPL persons, holding it ultra vires Section 7(5) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Bombay High Court at Goa holds that failure to decide RTI applications within 30 days entitles applicants to information free of charge, reinforcing statutory timelines under Section 7.

Bombay High Court mandates State Information Commissioners to decide RTI second appeals within 30 days of order, reinforcing statutory timelines under Section 19(6) of RTI Act, 2005.

Telangana High Court holds that students have a statutory right under RTI Act to inspect and obtain certified copies of evaluated answer scripts, overriding institutional rules.