Summary
Applying the then-governing personal-information exemption, the Court rejected an RTI request for individual bank employees’ transfer, posting and service details. The applicant had shown no larger public interest, and neither the Information Commission nor High Court had found one. The Court restored the bank information officers’ refusal while recognising the public-interest qualification stated in the controlling authorities.
Issues
- Whether the requested individual service details were exempt personal information.
- Whether larger public interest justified disclosure on the record.
Held
- Following Girish Ramchandra Deshpande and R.K. Jain, the Court treated the requested joining, designation, promotion, transfer and posting details of individual employees as personal information under the applicable Section 8(1)(j) framework. (¶¶ 4–6, 12–14)
- The cited framework permitted disclosure where the competent authority was satisfied that larger public interest justified it. Here the applicant disclosed no such interest and neither CIC nor the High Court recorded a finding supporting that exception. (¶ 13–14)
- The information officers had properly refused the request; the CIC and High Court erred in ordering disclosure. (¶ 15–16)
Result
Bank’s appeal allowed; High Court and CIC orders set aside, refusal orders restored and the RTI application rejected.