HC stays CIC order as Govt says cant reveal judge details

The CIC had on January 19 given the Justice Department a months deadline to make public files,documents,records on the appointment of Justice Jagdish Bhalla.

Dismissing the departments contention that appointment files of judges in the higher judiciary was exempted from disclosure under the Right to Information Act,2005,Information Commissioner A N Tiwari had confirmed that such information could be disclosed and did not fall under the exemption provisions in the Act.

The department was directed to provide copies of complete documents comprising correspondence exchanged between Union Law Minister and other constitutional authorities and notes at Union Law Ministry together with file-notings on appointment of Mr Justice Jagdish Bhalla as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh.