The First Appellate Authority of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), by order dated 12 February 2026, disposed of an appeal filed under Section 19 of the Right to Information Act, 2005. The appellant had sought a copy of the 1986 Mitra Committee report on the functioning of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), prepared by a one-man inquiry committee headed by Shri Ashok Mitra. The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) responded that no information was being sought that was available with the Board. On appeal, the Authority examined the definitions of “information” under Section 2(f) and “right to information” under Sections 2(j) and 3 of the RTI Act, emphasizing that only information held by or under the control of a public authority can be disclosed, subject to exemptions. Since the requested report did not relate to insolvency or bankruptcy matters and was not held by the Board, the earlier reply was upheld and the appeal was disposed of.
BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FIRST APPELLATE AUTHORITY
INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY BOARD OF INDIA
7th Floor, Mayur Bhawan, Shankar Market,
Connaught Circus, New Delhi -110001
Dated: 12th February 2026
Order under section 19 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) in respect of
RTI Appeal No. ISBBI/A/E/26/00001
IN THE MATTER OF
Silpa Mukherjee
…Appellant
Vs.
Central Public Information Officer
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
7 th Floor, Mayur Bhawan, Shankar Market,
Connaught Circus, New Delhi -110001
… Respondent
1. The Appellant has filed the present Appeal dated 4 th January 2026, challenging the communication of the Respondent, filed under the Right to Information Act (RTI Act). Since the Appeal required detailed analysis of different provisions of the RTI Act, same is disposed of within 45 days of the receipt of the impugned Appeal.
2. In the RTI application, the Appellant sought the 1986 Mitra Committee report on the functioning of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), prepared by the oneman inquiry committee headed by Shri Ashok Mitra, former Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The CPIO has replied that the no information is being sought in the application. Aggrieved with the reply, the Appellant has filed the instant Appeal reiterating his request to furnish the Mitra Committee report (1986).
3. I have carefully examined the application, the response of the Respondent and the instant Appeal and find that the matter can be decided based on the material available on record. In terms of section 2(f) of the RTI Act ‘information’ means “any material in any form, including records, documents, memos e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.” It is pertinent to mention here that the Appellant’s “right to information’ flows from section 3 of the RTI Act and the said right is subject to the provisions of the Act. Section 2(j) of the RTI Act defines the “right to information” in term of information accessible under the Act which is held by or is under the control of a public authority. Thus, if the public authority holds any information in the form of data, statistics, abstracts, etc. an applicant can have access to the same under the RTI Act subject to exemptions under section 8.
4. It is pertinent to note that since the information does not pertain to the insolvency or bankruptcy process, same is not available with the Board. As such, the reply given earlier that no information is being sought in the application which is available with the Board is sufficient in this regard.
5. The Appeal is accordingly disposed of.
Sd/-
(Kulwant Singh)
First Appellate Authority
Copy to:
1. Appellant, Silpa Mukherjee
2. CPIO, The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India, 7th Floor, Mayur Bhawan, Shankar Market, Connaught Circus, New Delhi -110001.
