The Delhi High Court today stayed the direction of the Central Information Commission (CIC) asking the Reserve Bank of India to provide details of industrialists who have defaulted in repayment of loans taken from nationalised banks. A bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi, in its interim ex parte order, asked the information-seeker to respond to the petition filed by the RBI challenging the CIC order.
The court listed the next hearing on February 27, 2012, on the RBI’s petition which said the CIC’s directives were in violation of the Right to Information Act.
The CIC had on November 14 this year under section 8(2) of the RTI Act directed the RBI to provide the information sought by PP Kapoor by December 10.
Counsel T R Andhyarujina, appearing for the RBI, contended the CIC’s order would have a far-reaching impact as this kind of information is confidential and the Information Commissioner has dealt with the matter in a wrong way, without considering all the relevant provisions under the RBI Act.
