Delhi High Court continues CIC order directing IAF to provide information on the foreign visits of PM

On Friday, the Delhi High Court suspended the operation of a Central Information Commission (CIC) order directing the Indian Air Force to provide Special Flight Returns (SRF)-II information, which contains information of the entourage of the Prime Minister on his foreign trips.

Justice Navin Chawla stated that it was not possible to disclose the information requested by the RTI applicant with regard to the details of ministry or department officials accompanying the PM on a trip, but there was no harm in providing details of the number of passengers on the flights.

The court also issued a notice to Commodore Lokesh K Batra (retd) of the RTI applicant and sought his position on the IAF’s appeal against the July 8 direction of the CIC.

On April 12, 2021, the court listed the case for further hearing, and the CIC direction operation remained until then.

It noted that the CIC should have been clearer about what information could be given and what is exempted under the Right to Information Act.PTI