Secrecy Over PM Modi's Degree Sparks Congressional Backlash

The Delhi High Court nullified a CIC order demanding details of PM Modi's bachelor's degree, labeling it 'personal information'. The Congress criticized the secrecy, arguing all others' degrees are public. Justice Sachin Datta distinguished between public interest and public curiosity.

The Delhi High Court has annulled a Central Information Commission (CIC) order seeking the disclosure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bachelor's degree, citing it as 'personal information'. The decision has led to criticism from the Congress, questioning why such details regarding the Prime Minister should remain confidential when similar information about others is generally available to the public.

Justice Sachin Datta, who adjudicated the matter following a petition by Delhi University, clarified that while the prime minister's educational qualifications might interest the public, they do not necessarily serve the public interest. The high court's verdict dismissed any implicit public interest in the RTI application.

The controversy dates back to a 2016 RTI application, which led to a CIC directive allowing the inspection of student records from 1978, the year Modi graduated. The high court had already stayed the CIC order in 2017, and the latest ruling reinforced the notion that personal privacy supersedes public curiosity about a public figure not contingent upon statutory requirements or official responsibilities.

(With inputs from agencies.)