High Court Rejects Arvind Kejriwal’s Appeal, Upholds ₹25,000 Cost In PM Modi Degree Case

Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of Aam Aadmi Party, has lost the appeal filed by him in the Gujarat High Court regarding the disclosure of educational degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray allowed the earlier single-judge order which set aside a 2016 Central Information Commission (CIC) directive on Gujarat University and imposed a ₹25,000 cost on Kejriwal.

Court Finds No Ground To Interfere

The division bench said it found no error in the earlier judgment after considering the facts and circumstances of the case.

The court also made observations about the manner in which Kejriwal had responded during the CIC proceedings and subsequently pursued the matter through written submissions.

The appeal was consequently dismissed, while Kejriwal’s application seeking a stay was also rejected. 

How The Degree Case Began

The legal dispute dates back to 2016, when the CIC directed Gujarat University to provide information concerning degrees associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The CIC action followed a communication from Kejriwal seeking information about Modi’s educational qualifications under the Right to Information Act.

Gujarat University subsequently approached the Gujarat High Court challenging the CIC directive.

In March 2023, a single judge of the High Court set aside the CIC order and imposed a ₹25,000 cost on Kejriwal. The university had argued that the RTI process should not be used in a manner that unnecessarily consumes the time and resources of public authorities. 

Single Judge's Order Challenged

Kejriwal subsequently challenged the 2023 ruling before a division bench of the High Court.

During the latest proceedings, his lawyers argued against the cost imposed by the single judge and sought interference with the earlier judgment.

The Gujarat University, meanwhile, defended the single-judge decision and argued that the RTI mechanism should not be used for requests that fall outside the purpose of the law. 

The High Court had reserved its judgment on the appeal on September 24, after hearing arguments from both sides. 

₹25,000 Cost Remains In Place

With the division bench now dismissing the appeal, the ₹25,000 cost imposed on Kejriwal remains in force.

The ruling also leaves intact the earlier decision that had quashed the CIC's 2016 directive concerning disclosure of information from Gujarat University.

The case has been part of a long-running legal dispute over access to information concerning the Prime Minister's educational records, with the proceedings involving questions about the scope of the RTI Act and the circumstances in which such personal information can be sought.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susmita Modak

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Always love to raise the unraised matter. In a world of worries, I am always ready to come over my comfort zone and taking the step ahead of spreading awareness.

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