Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High
Court Monday dismissed an appeal seeking details of the "religion and faith" of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her children under the RTI Act, saying the petitioner was trying to encroach on their privacy.
"It is evident that the petitioner is making efforts
to make unjustified inroads into the privacy of the
individuals even if they are public figure and consequently
the information cannot be made public," a division bench of
the High Court comprising Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and
Justice Rangan Gogoi said here while upholding the decision of
the Central Information Commission.
Former Haryana DGP P C Wadhwa had sought details of
"religion and faith" mentioned by Sonia Gandhi and her
children during the last census under the Right to Information
Act from the Central Public Information Officer (CIO) of the
office of Registrar General, Census Operations, under the
Union Home Ministry.
His application was rejected by the CPIO following
which he moved the Central Information Commission (CIC).
He had contended that Sonia and other members of her
family were public figures, who had projected certain public
image regarding their religion and faith.
However, the CIC too rejected the prayer in year 2008.
The information sought by the petitioner is strictly
confidential, the High Court held.
PTI
First Published: Monday, November 29, 2010, 16:22