RTI’s Purpose Not To Satisfy Curiosity”: Delhi University In PM Modi’s Degree Row

New Delhi:

University of Delhi on Monday said the purpose of RTI was not to satiate a third party’s curiosity as it challenged the central information commission’s order over disclosure of information on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree.

Appearing before Delhi High Court’s Justice Sachin Datta, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said students’ information was held by a university in a “fiduciary capacity” and couldn’t be divulged to a stranger for the law exempted it.

“Section 6 provides a mandate that information will have to be given, that is the purpose. But the RTI act is not for the purpose of satisfying someone’s curiosity,” he said.

Right to information (RTI) law cannot be abused or misused by directing disclosure of information unrelated to the transparency and accountability in the functioning of public authorities, argued Mehta.