The Delhi High Court has questioned whether any public interest is involved in an RTI application seeking details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Delhi University (DU).
Justice Sachin Datta raised the query while hearing a plea by RTI activist Neeraj Sharma, whose 2017 request to inspect DU’s degree records was granted by the Central Information Commission (CIC). The university, however, challenged the order, arguing that such records are held in a fiduciary capacity and cannot be disclosed under the RTI Act.
“Is there any public interest in seeking the details?” the Court asked Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde, who appeared for Sharma.
Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, representing DU, strongly opposed the disclosure, asserting that universities hold student records in trust and that revealing such details could have “far-reaching adverse consequences” for institutions across the country.
Mehta also cast doubt on the credentials of the RTI applicants, claiming that filing RTIs has become a “profession” and is often misused. He pointed out that out of four RTI applications filed on the issue, three were rejected due to non-payment of fees.
“Filing RTI is a profession these days. Now RTI activist is a designation in itself, it is a profession. How doctors and CAs have visiting cards. It is misused, abused, as observed previously by the court,” he said.
Hegde, however, countered DU’s argument, stating that degree-related information is “in the public domain” and access to it should be available to all, whether for an “ordinary man or a celebrity.”
The Court also examined the issue of fiduciary duty, with Justice Datta noting that if DU succeeds on this legal point, it would effectively block access to such information.
The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on February 19.
