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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

MATTERS BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE AND INCOME TAX RETURNS DETAILS ARE PERSONAL INFORMATION CANNOT BE DISCLOSED UNDER THE RTI ACT


While the Supreme Court deciding the question whether the Central Information Commissioner acting under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) was right in denying information regarding the third respondent’s personal matters pertaining to his service career  and also denying the details of his assets and liabilities, movable and immovable properties on the ground that the information sought for was qualified to be personal information as defined in clauses (j) of section 8 (1) of the RTI Act, in Girish Ramchandra Deshpande Vs Central Information Commissioner & others held

The performance of an employee/officer in an organization is primarily a matter between the employee and the employer and normally those aspects are governed by the service rules which fall under the expression “personal information” the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or public interest. On the other hand, the disclosure of which would cause unwarranted invasion of privacy of that individual.

It was further held, the details disclosed by a person in his income tax return are “personal information” which stand exempted from disclosure, unless involves a larger public interest.

In the present case the petitioner had sought for copies of all memos, show cause notices and censure/punishment awarded to the third respondent from his employer and also details viz. movable and immovable properties and also the details of his investments, lending and borrowing from Banks and other financial institutions. Further, he has also sought for the details of gifts stated to have accepted by the third respondent, his family members and friends and relatives at the marriage of his son. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition on the view that the petitioner has not succeeded in establishing that the information sought for is for the larger public interest.

Prepared by: S. Hemanth