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The Delhi High Court is scheduled to pronounce its judgment tomorrow on Delhi University's challenge to a 2016 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) directing disclosure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bachelor's degree information.
Earlier, a bench of Justice Sachin Datta had reserved its verdict after hearing extensive arguments from the parties. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, argued that the CIC's order ought to be set aside, stressing that while records may be produced before the court, they should not be placed in the public domain to serve the interests of individuals "seeking publicity or driven by political motives." He cautioned that an expansive interpretation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act could hinder the functioning of public authorities. The controversy stems from an RTI application filed by one Neeraj, on the basis of which the CIC on December 21, 2016, had permitted inspection of records for all students who graduated with a BA in 1978, the same year Prime Minister Modi completed his degree. However, the High Court stayed that order on January 23, 2017, following DU's appeal. Delhi University has maintained that the information is held in a fiduciary capacity and that mere curiosity, without demonstrable public interest, does not justify disclosure under the RTI Act. In contrast, the CIC in its 2016 order had observed that universities are public institutions and that degree records, maintained in their registers, qualify as public documents. (ANI)
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