24-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
RTI does not extend to any legitimate privacy interest: LHC
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) held that right to information (RTI), does not extend to any legitimate privacy interest and request for provision of information can validly be withheld which violates the privacy of an individual.
The court passed this order in an Intra Court Appeal (ICA) of a citizen Shahbaz who challenged the verdict of a single bench which set aside a decision of Punjab Information Commission directing the Excise & Taxation Department for provision of the information asked by the appellant.
The court said the appellant made request for getting information qua disclosures of names of taxpayers and information regarding individual properties owned by different taxpayers but imparting of requisite information is subject to an unambiguous consent of said individual otherwise request could validly be regretted under section 13(1)(b) of the Act, the court added.
The court said that the single bench has rightly allowed the constitutional petition of the respondent department; however, the Punjab Information Commission passed the order in blatant excess of its jurisdiction, the court added.
The court dismissed the ICA in limine and burdened the appellant with special cost of rupees one million. It observed that the amount should be recovered as decree in favour of the respondent department.
The court said the right to information is primarily intended to give access to the citizen to the information gathered and maintained by public authorities to ensure that government is functioning in a transparent manner and accountable to the people it serves.
The court; however, observed that the privacy directly relates to an individual's personal life, such as his name, address, phone number, family details, medical history, financial status; etc. which has validly been safeguarded in almost every law, the court added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
