CIC Orders IT Department to Share Husband's Income with Wife in Maintenance Cases

The Central Information Commission has ordered the Income Tax Department to disclose the general income details of a husband to his estranged wife for maintenance proceedings. This ruling highlights the balance between privacy and the necessity of such information for matrimonial disputes.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has mandated the Income Tax Department to reveal the basic income information of an estranged husband to his wife in maintenance proceedings. This order marks a significant stance on the intersection of privacy rights and matrimonial disputes.

Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari clarified that upon validating the marital status and an ongoing matrimonial or maintenance case, the Income Tax authorities should provide the requested information. However, this doesn't extend to personal income tax returns or sensitive third-party information.

This decision arose from a case wherein a woman accused her husband of hiding his true earnings to evade maintenance. The CIC stressed that while generic income data can be disclosed for maintenance adjudication, full income tax returns remain confidential.

(With inputs from agencies.)