Income-tax details can be disclosed under RTI only if in “larger public interest”

Girish Ramchandra Deshpande vs. CIC (Supreme Court)

The Petitioner sought details of the Respondent’s movable and immovable properties and also the details of investments, lending and borrowing from Banks and other financial institutions. He has also sought for the details of gifts stated to have accepted by the Respondent, his family members and friends and relatives at the marriage of his son. The information sought for finds a place in the income tax returns of the Respondent. The Supreme Court had to consider whether the information sought for qualifies to be “personal information” as defined in clause (j) of S. 8(1) of the RTI Act. HELD by the Supreme Court: